ORONO, Maine (AP) The University of Maine is getting a boost from the federal government for a pair of aquaculture projects, one of which addresses a pest problem in worldwide salmon farming.

The money is coming from NOAA Sea Grant, which supports fishery and coastal projects. The university says three researchers at its Aquaculture Research Institute will receive more than $700,000 to work on new approaches to address sea lice in salmon operations.

The lice are a major problem for salmon farms in Maine, Canada and around the world as they render the fish impossible to sell. The industry is struggling with resistance to pesticides used to control the lice.

Another UMaine research team will receive nearly $700,000 for a project designed to help sustainable development of aquaculture with water quality data.