Copepods comprise the largest animal marine biomass, but they have been poorly studied by molecular tools, and no genome has so far been sequenced. Copepods are common as parasites on fishes, and the salmon louse (Lepeophtheirus salmonis) is the most important species in terms of economical significance. Due to emerging resistance development, new tools (vaccine and new drugs) for lice control is needed. One of the factors limiting research supporting development of new treatments has been the lack of a complete genome sequence. Consequently a joint effort to sequence the salmon louse genome was embarked.