Council backs calls for the Government to convene a public inquiry into 'unexplained die-offs' of shellfish

North Yorkshire Council has backed calls for the Government to convene a public inquiry “with powers to compel testimony and the release of all forms of evidence” to address concerns about shellfish deaths that have occurred on the Yorkshire and Cleveland coast since October 2021.

The decision to call for an inquiry was made at the newly-formed authority’s annual general meeting. At the meeting, councillors failed to reach an agreement over amendments proposed by Conservative councillors seeking to amend the original motion put forward by Labour and Liberal Democrat councillors.

The failure to reach a compromise on the wording of the amendment led to the original motion – which was proposed by Coun Neil Swannick whose Whitby division has been affected by the die-offs – being replaced by a motion with alternative wording which was proposed by Conservative Coun George Jabbour.

Whilst calling for a public inquiry, Coun Jabbour’s motion took a more cautious approach to the possibility that the die-offs could have been caused by dredging in the Tees estuary.

Coun Jabbour’s motion also avoided direct criticism of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) which has ruled out further investigations.

However, the motion did call on the Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey to support the local economy and to “help in securing financial compensation for the fishing industry”.

Speaking tafter the meeting, Coun Neil Swannick said: “I can’t think that anybody would not now understand that this is a big issue for fishing communities on the north-east coast.

“The net result was that there will be pressure on the secretary of state to convene a public inquiry, which was the original aim of my motion.”

An independent crustacean mortality expert panel, set up by the Government to look into the deaths, has said that “it is about as likely as not that a pathogen new to UK waters – a potential disease or parasite – caused the unusual crab mortality”.

However, local crab and lobster fishermen in Whitby have said that their livelihoods are at risk due to significantly reduced catches which many blame on dredging in the Tees.

Speaking at the meeting, North Yorkshire Independent Coun Michelle Donohue-Moncrieff, said: “For those communities for whom this has gone on for such a long time, it’s not very good.

“They need answers and proper detailed research, and it’s in everyone’s interest to establish the facts.”

She added: “The most important thing is that communities know we haven’t forgotten them and that we are on their side.”

Despite the increasing cross-party pressure for an inquiry, the approved motion does not guarantee that Ms Coffey will approve a public inquiry which could take years to conclude its findings.