MPs call for urgent investigation into the deaths of thousands of shellfish
The fishing industry claims it was caused by pollution from dredging, but official reports have blamed algae blooms
MPs have called for an urgent investigation into the deaths of thousands of shellfish off the Yorkshire Coast, after suggestions it was caused by dredging in the River Tees.
Scarborough and Whitby MP Sir Robert Goodwill has written to environment secretary Therese Coffey, saying the environment committee had heard the deaths were having a "long-lasting impact on the fishing trade".
In the letter, he has also called for compensation for the fishing industry, and for an independent panel to investigate the cause of the deaths.
Official government reports have blamed algae blooms, and bosses at a port on Teeside have insisted dredging isn't responsible.
The DEFRA committee also heard from marine biologist Dr. Gary Caldwell, who warned that high amounts of a chemical detected in waters could have led to the deaths.
The letter said: " There is clearly a need for further data and research on the causes of the mass die-off.
"This must include urgent investigation of the potential sources of pyridine that Dr Gary Caldwell of Newcastle University identified in his oral evidence including more extensive sampling of the sediments in the bed of the Tees Estuary to create a map of potential sources of pyridine in proximity to maintenance dredging and the wider area."
A Defra spokesperson said: “Defra led a comprehensive investigation into the cause of dead crabs and lobsters that washed up on the North East coast between October and December last year.
“Government scientists carried out extensive testing for chemicals and other pollutants including pyridine but concluded a naturally occurring algal bloom was the most likely cause.
"The amount of any chemical needed to cause a mortality event of this scale would have had to be huge and could not have escaped detection in the extensive sampling carried out at the time. Chemical pollution was therefore ruled out as a likely cause for the incident.”