Marine biologists to analyse die-off of shellfish on the Yorkshire coast

Nathan Hyde
By Nathan Hyde
Published 8th Apr 2023, 07:52 BST
Updated 8th Apr 2023, 08:05 BST
Scientists will conduct afresh investigation to find out whether a chemical killed thousands of crabs and lobsters off the coast of Yorkshire and the North East.

Samples will be taken from the bed of the River Tees and the sea bed around the river mouth, by researchers from universities in Newcastle, York and Durham next week.

They will also take samples from sites several miles offshore, where more than 800,000 cubic metres of material dredged from the river as part of the Teesside Freeport project is being dumped.

Marine biologist Dr Gary Caldwell, from the University of Newcastle, said they are aiming to “create an accurate and up-to-date picture” of the chemicals that are “present in the river and being dredged and released back out into the sea”.

Dead and dying starfish that have been washed up on the beach at Saltburn-by-the-Sea in North Yorkshire.Dead and dying starfish that have been washed up on the beach at Saltburn-by-the-Sea in North Yorkshire.
Dead and dying starfish that have been washed up on the beach at Saltburn-by-the-Sea in North Yorkshire.

It comes after thousands of dead crabs and lobsters died inmysterious circumstances and began washing ashore, between Hartlepool and Whitby in October 2021.

“There’s no evidence to support the conclusion that a pathogen caused the deaths and we’re trying to provide additional evidence that government agencies should be providing themselves, because they have the budget and resources for it,” said Dr Caldwell.

“We will try to get the data analysed from our work as quickly as possible, but it’s probably going to take a couple of months.”

Dr Caldewell and other university researchers conducted an investigation last year which concluded that a toxic chemical called pyridine may have killed the crabs and lobsters, after being released by dredging.

But earlier this year, a panel of Government-appointed experts completed a review and found that an unknown disease or parasite is the “most likely” cause.

But “no significant pathogens were identified” because full molecular screening had not been conducted by the Department forEnvironment Food and Rural Affairs.

According to the panel, there are three factors which suggest a disease or parasite is the cause: only crustaceans died, they were found across a large area, and some were twitching when they were discovered.

The panel also stated it is “very unlikely” – less than 10 per cent probability – that dredging andtoxic chemicals are to blame,claiming that no pyridine was detected in the water and the amount of pyridine found in dredged material was not high enough to kill crabs.

Comment: Page 12.