The North East Fishing Collective (NEFC) has listed over 100 alleged incidents linked to marine life die-offs and incidents in the North East as the group continues to "fight for the truth."
Since October 2021, fishermen have been battling for the region's ecosystem after swathes of dead crabs, lobsters, and shellfish washed up on beaches. Environmentalists and fishermen fought for answers - with the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs eventually launching a probe.
While the initial Defra report said an algal bloom was the most likely cause, further investigations found that a "novel pathogen" was most likely to blame. Independent marine and university experts as well as the fishermen believed dredging on the Tees unearthed historical toxins leading to the mass die off - but this has also been ruled out by the authorities.
READ MORE: Independent panel rules new disease may have caused crab deaths
Just last week, North Yorkshire Council backed calls for a public inquiry and a dedicated government task force into the mass marine die-offs, with council leader Cllr Carl Les saying that the fishing industry is "vital" to local people's lives and asked the government for assistance with compensating those affected.
Many still continue to dispute the findings of the Defra report and want a further investigation, as the report stated there could not be a definitive answer with the current data.
Stan Rennie, a fisherman and spokesman for the NEFC, welcomed the news of the council backing a public inquiry, stating that industry and environmental experts have been working together and "fighting for the future survival of the North East ecosystem, trying to survive as fisherfolk and fighting for justice."
He said: "The severe demise of the marine ecosystem, the local catches of the inshore fleets, and the local fishing fleets lost, forever, with over half the Hartlepool potting fleet gone to the wall, for sale or sold, and now one-third of the Hartlepool prawning fleet for sale or sold, alone, from one port!
"Never mind the other Ports affected, Redcar to Whitby and beyond, sacrificed die-off zone up to 12 miles offshore!"
Stan said the NEFC was looking forward to multi-council investigations meetings - which are due to be held with councillors from Middlesbrough Council, Hartlepool Council, and Redcar and Cleveland Council - to "further consider the evidence" relating to the mass die-offs.
Incident reports listed by the NEFC
The document has compiled reports from the NEFC, the North Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority, fishermen, and members of the public since the initial reports of die-offs back in 2021. This table was put together by Stan's daughter Sarah, who is the acting secretary.
It must be noted that the log contains a variety of different reported "incidents" from small-scale wash-ups to larger-scale ones. It also includes information reported by fishermen in relation to catches, as well as concerns raised by merchants.
The Environment Agency has said recently that reports of hundreds of starfish washing up on Teesside beaches were natural events and normal for this time of year. They added: “Creatures like mussels, starfish, crabs and razor clams occupy rocky habitats and unfortunately can be easily dislodged during unsettled weather, onshore winds or spring tides – causing them to be washed ashore."
| Date | Location | Species | Description |
| 25/9/2021 | Greatham Creek | Shore Crab | Crabs on tyres at Gratham Creek were reported dead/dying. |
| 26 & 27/09/2021 | Hartlepool Area | Crab/lobster catches | Fishermen from commercial fleet noticed a significant reduction in catches. Lots of dead lobsters in pots. Weak lobsters dying before landed |
| 5/10/2021 | South Gare, River Tees & subsequent affected areas | Crab/lobster & crustacean species | Member of the public reported dead shellfish washed up at South Gare |
| 5/10/2021 | South Gare | Razor bills | Significant numbers of dead birds including 15 razorbills |
| 7/10/2021 | Tees Esturary | Shellfish | NEIFCA received EA email advising washed-up shellfish at Bran Sands and Paddy's Hole. |
| 7/10/2021 | Seaton Carew, Hartlepool | Shellfish | Email received from CEFAS informing of mass mortality of crabs washing up on the shore of Seaton Carew beach in Hartlepool. Reported to CEFAS by Hartlepool Council. Also, have anecdotal reports of mixed species in the mortality and querying if NEIFCA has received similar reports. CEFAS requested samples of edible crabs to rule out any disease agents. |
| 8/10/2021 | Redcar (North Scaurs) | Edible sore crab and velvet crab | The shore officer found areas of dead shellfish on the beach washed up. Clear visual spasming and struggling to breathe. |
| 8/10/2021 | South Gare | Shellfish | NEIFCA officers joint testing with EA of samples including lobsters. Large quantities of lobsters found in rockpools dead |
| 8/10/2021 | South Gare | Shellfish | F2F conversation between NEIFCA officer and member of the public reporting dead shellfish/crab in tyres. |
| 10/10/2021 | North & South Gare/ Seaton Carew | Crabs/lobsters | Reports of dead lobsters and other shellfish in the area. Starfish and oyster catchers were also reported dead in the area. |
| 11/10/2021 | Berwick (Spittal Beach) | Crabs/lobsters | Reports of wash-up at Spittal Beach at Berwick with 50+ crabs and lobsters. |
| 12/10/2021 | Redcar | Crabs/lobsters | Commercial fishermen reported black fluid on water over wide areas - stuck to hands, pots, and vessel. Other fishermen reported 50% - 100% of keep pot-graded shellfish dead. No adverse weather conditions. |
| 13/10/2021 | South Gare | Shellfish | Joint agencies' conversation with commercial fishermen - lobsters in keep pots dead after 24hr - no longer able to keep. |
| 13/10/2021 | South Gare | Shellfish and sediment | Conversation with a commercial fisherman about the loss of shellfish from keeping pots. |
| 18/10/2021 | Redcar | Shellfish | A commerical fisherman reported only catching three lobsters - only one viable as others dead. Had worked 225 pots/ 6 fleets. Concern over MMO landing app not recording 0.5kg. |
| 18/10/2021 | Redcar | Lack of catch | LSP vessel reported that nothing alive at sea and the bait was untouched for seven days. |
| 18/10/2021 | Redcar | Lack of catch | Fisherman reported approx 10kg of lobsters in keep pot and only four alive. 40 years in the industry and not seen anything like this. |
| 18/10/2021 | Redcar | Lack of catch | Fisherman landed six lobsters from 200 pots working inside and outside of 2NM. No lobsters or crabs inside 2NM - bait untouched. |
| 18/10/2021 | Redcar | Lack of catch | Merchant & fisherman reported nothing being caught 2NM - no lobsters or crabs and bait untouched. Merchant reported survival rates in tanks decreased. |
| 18/10/2021 | Longscarr Buoy, Seaton Carew | Lack of catch | Phone call with a merchant who had been contacted by diving friend who charters trips. Had taken two commerical divers down buoy off Longscar - reported a completely full sea bed of dead crustaceans. Very deep in parts |
| 21/10/2021 | Hartlepool Area | Lack of catch | Phone call with commercial fisherman - no catch in pots and all shellfish dead week prior. |
| 22/10/2021 | Skinningrove | Shellfish | Reports of wash-up shellfish - officers patrolled area. |
| 22/10/2021 | Staithes | Shellfish deaths | NEIFCA met with merchant - segregation all areas of district into tanks. South Gare lobsters dying - spasming and struggling to breathe before death. Shore officers witnessed this. Lobster taken as sample. Reported losing 20-40kg a day of lobsters. |
| 24/10/2021 | Marske - Saltburn | Shellfish | Reports of mass wash up of dead crabs and shellfish on beaches of Marske towards Saltburn. |
| 25/10/2021 | Saltburn - Marske beaches | Shellfish and flatties | Reports of wash-up at Saltburn and Marske. MMO/EA/NEIFCA attended together - large pockets of dead shellfish and flatties with washed-up seaweed. Spasming and struggling to breathe. |
| 25/10/2021 | Redcar to Saltburn | Shellfish | Email received by NEIFCA over concern over dead and dying crabs washed up between Redcar and Saltburn. Reports of brittle limbs and younger crabs. |
| 25/10/2021 | South Gare | Porpoises | Reports of porpoises washed up at South Gare |
| 25/10/2021 | Tees Esturary | Lack of catch | An email regarding mass mortalities. Merchant in Staithes refusing to accept lobsters from Tees area. |
| 26/10/2021 | Redcar | Lack of catch | Fisherman worked over 200 pots and landed a small number of lobsters. Fishing 1.8 - 2.4NM offshore. |
| 26/10/2021 | Staithes | Merchant concern | Merchant concern about lack of info from agencies - not sure if safe to sell to the public. Merchant reported speaking to someone in Scotland who had seen this with green algae. |
| 26/10/2021 | Staithes to Saltburn | EA phone call | EA hotline contacted on behalf of commercial fishermen by NEIFCA - reported pots having no alive shellfish in them. Dead shellfish - five to 25 fathom of water. |
| 27/10/2021 | Marske | Shellfish | NEIFCA officers observed large pockets of washed-up shellfish on the beaches of Marske walking to Saltburn. |
| 27/10/2021 | Skinningrove | Crabs & lobsters | SM post (Teeside Coastal Wildlife) reported wash up of dead crustaceans - that could be seen on the beach. Also dead cormorant. |
| 27/10/2021 | Redcar | Lack of catch | NEIFCA officers has a conversation with the skipper of a commercial fishing vessel stating nothing alive within 3NM. Fished outside and some alive but many dead. Landings low and only two fleets in sea. |
| 28/10/2021 | Staithes | Crabs | MOP reported large number of crabs in rock pools on backs and clearly weaker than usual. Almost every rock pool had several crabs like this and all crabs were seen on their backs. Called EA but was advised to contact NEIFCA by EA. |
| 2/11/2021 | N/A | Merchant concern | Merchant email sent to NEIFCA over the situation - concern of expansion of area southward and may reach Whitby/Scarborough. |
| 2/11/2021 | Middleton, Hartlepool | Crabs | Reports on SM of wash-up of 100 dead crabs in Middleton area. Public reported their attempts to put shellfish on fronts as they were on their backs and twitching. |
| 2/11/2021 | Skinningrove | Crabs | Offshore IFCO crew came alongside vessel in North of District. Skipper showed dead and dying shellfish he was removing from pots. |
| 4/11/2021 | Hartlepool | Crabs | MOP reported dead and dying crabs off Marine Drive on the Headland, Hartlepool. |
| 4/11/2021 | Headland, Hartlepool | Crabs | MOP reported shellfish being washed up - NEIFCA officer observed 50-70 crabs washed up. One crab which was twitching taken for sample. |
| 4/11/2021 | Saltburn | Shellfish | SM post showing Beach Cleaning in Saltburn group reports and evidence of more dead shellfish. |
| 4/11/2021 | Runswick Bay | Crabs | Reports of hundreds of dead crabs washed up in RB. |
| 5/11/2021 | Redcar | Shellfish | Reported SM dead or dying shellfish on Redcar beaches. NEIFCA officers observed the above, one lobster was reported amongst crab. |
| 5/11/2021 | Redcar | Worms | Reports to NEIFCA from the chairman of Redcar recreational fishing club stating worms which have been collected digging bait are dying after a few hours. Not experienced before. |
| 7/11/2021 | Sandsend | Shellfish | Reports of small wash-ups of dead shellfish near Sandsend near rocks. |
| 8/11/2021 | Runswick Bay | Crabs | NEIFCA officers observed quantities of shellfish washed up on shore. Small in size. |
| 8/11/2021 | Redcar | Lack of catch | Fisherman-vessel MK fished various fleets with very poor landings. Several reports to NEIFCA of single-figure landings. |
| 10/11/2021 | Redcar to Staithes | Lack of catch | Phone call with merchant and NEIFCA - angry and frustrated as no support was given. Reports of fishermen selling up due to financial strains of landings. Every pot in fleet at Saltburn had been brought up with dead crabs and lobsters in. |
| 11/11/2021 | Redcar | Lack of catch | CEFAS & NEIFCA conversation with fishermen at Redcar - reporting landings down and what is caught is dying or twitching. |
| 12/11/2021 | Whitby & Redcar | Lack of catch | Fisherman told officers crabs caught were on their backs and twitching. |
| 15/11/2021 | Redcar | Lack of catch | Merchant told officers no crabs and very few fish in nets. From landings, it was reported that nothing was alive within 2NM. Reported diver been down South Gare and shellfish dead on sea bed. |
| 16/11/2021 | Whitby & Redcar | Shellfish | Fishermen reported fishing off Ravenscar walking along Stoupe brow there were large quantities of dead and shellfish described as spasming on shore. |
| 16/11/2021 | Robin Hood's Bay | Shellfish | Report to NEIFCA of wash-up of shellfish both alive and dead. |
| 16/11/2021 | Whitby | Lack of catch | Fishermen discussed with NEIFCA officers about nothing being caught inside of 3NM which is not dead or dying. |
| 16/11/2021 | Whitby | Crabs | Officers visited Stoupe Beck regarding shellfish wash-up. Reported signs of shellfish. |
| 17/11/2021 | Horden Beach | Crabs | MOP reported a pile of edible crabs at Horden Beach. Sent NEIFCA video link. |
| 19/11/2021 | Scarborough | Lack of catch | Fisherman report dead and dying crabs twitching in the pots near Wayburn Hyke. |
| 24/11/2021 | Staithes, Marske, Saltburn, Redcar | Lack of catch | Merchant call to NEIFCA regarding issues. Reported lobsters in his tank going on to backs and twitching and reports from those landing that dead and twitching shellfish in pots. |
| 28-29/11/2021 | Marske | Shrimp | Local fisherman reported washed-up shrimp dead on beach in Marske. |
| 1/12/2021 | Runswick Bay | Octopus | MOP reported hundreds of octopuses washed up in Runswick Bay. Officers went and collected samples. |
| 3/12/2021 | Headland Hartlepool | Octopus | MOP reported 30-40 dead octopuses on Marine Drive beach. |
| 3/12/2021 | Littlehaven, South Shields | Octopus | Reported beach was littered with dead octopuses. |
| 6/12/2021 | Runswick Bay | Crustaceans | Fisherman reported green shore crab, edible crab, velvet crab, and spider crabs all on backs bubbling at mouth and twitching. |
| 27/12/2021 | Boggle Hole | Crabs | Email from MOP with washed-up crabs on beach at Boggle Hole. |
| 2/2/2022 | Redcar | Lack of catch | NEIFCA shore officers discussed with fisherman that nothing caught off 2NM and concern over financial implications. |
| 2/2/2022 | Redcar | Lack of catch | Merchant conversation with NEIFCA officers about no catch or fishermen working from Redcar. Lobsters still weak and dying and often dead in keep the pot. Merchant losing out also. |
| 8/2/2022 | Hartlepool | Lack of catch | Fishermen told shore offices nothing was being caught in pots near Longscar buoy. No signs of life. |
| 26/2/2022 | Hartlepool | Porpoises | Dead porpoise |
| 1/3/2022 | Staithes | Lack of catch | IFCO's spoke with fisherman saying no lobsters only crab being caught. |
| 1/3/2022 | Redcar | Lack of catch | IFCO's spoke with fisherman who had 600 pots and only eight crab, five codling and 50k lobster over two days. |
| 2/3/2022 | Hartlepool | Lack of catch | IFCO's spoke with fisherman who had to move further off due to no catch in affected areas. 700 pots worked for 50kg of edible crab, 11kg of lobster and 30kg of codling. |
| 15/3/2022 | Redcar | Crabs | Reports of divers off South Gare looking for lead weights witnessed dead and dying crabs. |
| 15/3/2022 | Marske | Lobsters | Merchant told officers that in the last week one fishing vessel had eight lobsters which had died in 24 hours. Lobsters weak and going on backs. Merchant has been blue banding South Gare/Redcar lobsters to compare against Whitby/Staithes. |
| 21/3/2022 | Scarborough | Crabs | EA reported a contact had been in Scarborough and seen small amount of dead edible crab washed up on beach. |
| 28/3/2022 | Hartlepool | Prawns | NEIFCA conversation with prawn trawler reporting massive reduction of catch - landing only three or four of a basket of prawns fishing 2NM off Saltburn. Normally eight baskets in comparison from previous year. |
| 4/4/2022 | Hartlepool | Prawns | NEIFCA officer spoke to prawn trawler and reported no catch of prawns in area - usually fish 2.3NM out of Tees Bay near to dumping ground. No dead organisms caught either despite 90mm mesh. Had nothing in 6NM so has moved out to 9NM. |
| 19/4/2022 | Hartlepool | Crabs and Lobster | Reports of dying crab and lobster found washed up on beach at North Gare and Hartlepool. Footage showed crabs on backs and lobster on rocks. |
| 25/4/2022 | Hartlepool & Redcar | Shellfish | Officers attended Seaton Carew, North and South Gare areas and witnessed wash-ups. |
| 26/4/2022 | Hartlepool | Seal & bird | NEIFCA patrol witnessed dead seal and sea bird on South Gare. |
| 28/4/2022 | South Gare | Various | NEIFCA shore officers attended and witnessed quantities of lobsters, swimming crabs, razor clams and squat lobsters washed up. |
| 29/4/2022 | South Gare | Various | NEIFCA shore officers attended and witnessed quantities of lobsters, swimming crabs, razor clams and squat lobsters washed up. |
| 4/5/2022 | Hartlepool | Lobsters | Shore officers received dead lobster from fisherman. 15 lobster dead in catch. |
| 4/5/2022 | Saltburn | Various | Shore officers attended Saltburn to find wash up of shore crabs, lobsters, flatfish, codlings, squat lobsters, and swimming crabs. |
| 6/5/2022 | Whitby | Crabs | FIve dead edible crabs from fishing vessel. |
| 6/5/2022 | Redcar | Crabs & lobsters | One dead lobster and three edible crabs from a fishing vessel |
| 9/5/2022 | Staithes | Lobsters | Conversation with merchant had collected lobsters which had died in tanks from last three weeks from one fishing vessel. 15 in total. |
| 9/5/2022 | Hartlepool | Lobsters | One fishing vessel caught dead lobster. |
| 13/5/2022 | Crimdon | Seal and bird | Dead adult seal reported to Durham County Council by MOP. No signs of obvious injury. |
| 16/5/2022 | Bran Sands | Lack of shore crab | Officers investigated Bran Sands and checked 30 tyres. Unexpectedly empty as they would normally be found at this time of year. Black silt was also noted by officers. |
| 19/5/2022 | South Gare | Lobsters | Snorkeler reported to NEIFCA footage of a lobster on its back exhibiting twitching and lethargic behaviour. |
| 20/5/2022 | Whitby | Velvet Crbs | Report from fisherman of twitching velvet crab and lobsters in pots 1.5NM off Whitby. |
| 24/5/2022 | Staithes/Redcar | Lobsters | Phone call from merchant - fishing vessel had stored lobsters in 3 keep pots and landed catch totalling 100kg. Merchant lost 13kg of lobsters to death. |
| 24/5/2022 | Staithes | Lobsters | Conversation with merchant regarding symptomatic lobsters. Three to five showing symptoms. |
| 31/5/2022 | Redcar | Lobsters | Phonecall from merchant re: wash up on Redcar beach. Some lobster collected. |
| 1/6/2022 | Scarborough | Velvet crabs | Skipper from Scarborough caught 3 velvets displaying symptoms of twitching and on backs. |
| 7/6/2022 | Redcar | Seaweed | NEIFCA officers reported large wash-up of mostly seaweed across the beach in Redcar/South Gare. Officers noted it was a lot deeper than previous ones. |
| 8/6/2022 | Whitby | Shore Crab | Decreasing numbers of shore crab in Whitby Harbour reported. Reports of two shore crabs on backs blowing bubbles. Eight kept but normal numbers would be up to 100. |
| 8/6/2022 | Redcar | Gannets | Reports from fishermen gannets seen dead close to Whitby Harbour and Robin Hood's Bay. |
| 30/6/2022 | 2m dumps | Gurnards | Pot bait skin burnt off |
| 4/7/2022 | Hartlepool Fish Sands | Brown Crab | Washed up - some twitching - mass wash up of seaweed and dead winkles |
| 14/8/2022 | North Sands - Steetley to Crimdon | Sprats | Mass wash-up of sprats |
| 27/8/2022 | Hartlepool | Seal | Dead seal floating around boat |
| 9/6/2022 | Whitby/Markse | Lack of catch | Fishermen reported to officers that catches are bad. Only small quantities of edible crab and lobster. Dead shellfish also collected. |
| 7/9/2022 | Whitby | Lobsters | Evidence of lobster with melted eggs. |
| 12/9/2022 | Hartlepool | Lobsters | Evidence of lobster with melted eggs. |
| 14/9/2022 | Whitby | Lobsters | Evidence of lobster with melted eggs. |
| 21/9/2022 | Marske beach | Various | Reports on SM of significant amounts of razor clams, mussels, bivalves, urchins, seaweed and flatfish, crabs and starfish washed up. |
| 22/9/2022 | Whitby | Crab | Evidence of crab landed with melted eggs. |
| 14/10/2022 | Redcar Beach | Anemones | Reports of mass wash-ups of anemones |
| 14/10/2022 | Seaton Carew | Whale | One whale washed up off Seaton Carew |
| 14/10/2022 | Hartlepool | Lobster, sea mice, crab shells | Fisherman's email with evidence of dead sealife in pots. |
| 19/10/2022 | Hartlepool | Sprats | Reports of dead sprats near Greatham Power Station. |
| 20/10/2022 | Redcar | Lobsters | Merchant reported more landed lobsters dying in his tanks. |
| 24/10/2022 | Seaton Carew, Hartlepool | Lobster | MOP reported dead lobster and crabs littering Seaton Carew beach. |
| 26/10/2022 | South Gare | Various | Reports and witnessed by officers wash-up of the following: whelks, mussels, swimming crabs, cockles, barnacles, winkles. |
| 27/10/2022 | Runswich Bay | Barnacles | Big tides - barnacles on rocks - can lift sheets up with fingers. Covered in silt and appear melted - some taken for testing |
| 28/10/2022 | South Gare | Whelks | Wash up of tiny whelks |
| 31/10/2022 | Whitby | Lobsters | Report from vessel five dead lobsters in pots at Saltwick Hole. |
| 2/11/2022 | Bridlington | Crabs | Skipper reporting hauling pots 20mile off Bridlington and having dead crabs in catch. |
| 8/11/2022 | Marske/Saltburn/Redcar | Lobsters | Skipper reported to IFCO officers six dead lobsters in pots in Marske and Saltburn. |
| 8/11/2022 | Redcar | Lobsters | Skipper reported to IFCO they had dead lobsters in pots. |
| 14/11/2022 | Whitby | Lobsters | Skipper reported to IFCO they had three dead lobsters in pots. |
| 22/11/2022 | Hartlepool | Shrimp/krill | Evidence of mass amounts of shrimp/krill washed up along the Hartlepool coastline. |
| 7/12/2022 | South Gare | Seaweed and various | IFCOs patrolled South Gare and reported seaweed, parts of lobsters, razor clams, dead man's fingers, and mussels. |
| 9/12/2022 | Hartlepool | Seaweed and various | IFCOs patrolled beaches in Hartlepool and reported wash up of seaweed, razor clams, crab shells and legs, dead trout and other unidentifiables. |
| 8/1/2023 | Hartlepool | Lack of catch | Email from fisherman to say that we are back at the starting point in terms of lack of catches |
| 21/1/2023 | Runswick Bay | Seal cub | Seal cub was reported dead. No visible signs of injury or trauma. |
| 23/1/2023 | Hayburn & Wyke | Kelp Bed | Kelp beds died - only stalks left |
| 26/1/2023 | Hartlepool | Sea Hares | Overtaking eco-system. No other life on the foreshore. Feeding on dead kelp. |
| 27/1/2023 | Hartlepool | Kelp | Kelp beds died - only roots left on rocks |
| 6/2/2023 | Hartlepool | Lack of catch | Fisherman reporting a significant lack of catch after a three-hour haul. |
| 22/2/2023 | Redcar | Starfish | MOP reported dead starfish and mussel shells on the shoreline walking from Coast Road car park to Redcar. |
| 8/3/2023 | Marske | Starfish | MOP reports starfish in the water pools at Marske. None were alive and an abundance of the species was reported. |
| 29/3/2023 | Saltburn | Starfish & Razor clams | MOP reported wash up of starfish, razor clams, and also mussels. Beach littered with species. |
| 8/4/2023 | Marske | Starfish | MOP reported starfish was up at Marske. |
| 10/4/2023 | Redcar | Starfish | MOP reported starfish was up at Redcar. |
| 14/4/2023 | Whitby | Lack of catch | Reports from local Whitby fisherman that the local fleet working lobster/crab pots from Whitby to Redcar and no brown crab or velvets. 500 pots worked in total. |
| 15/4/2023 | Skinningrove | Starfish | Fisherman from Whitby reported an abundance of starfish in lobster pots. Collected from fleets show an excess of species. |
| 15/4/2023 | Hazelgrove | Starfish | Report from MOP regarding wash up of starfish on the beach just down from Hazelgrove. Some were visibly damaged. |
| 27/4/2023 | Marske - Saltburn | Mussels, clams. starfish etc | Video from MOP showing extensive 'graveyard' sites between Marske and Saltburn - the crunching of debris is evident in the sound |
| 28/4/2023 | Saltburn | Shellfish, starfish, razor clams, lobster, urchins, fish | Wash up on The Ship side of Saltburn. |
| 28/4/2023 | Redcar | Mussels, clams. starfish etc | Reports of seashells, razors, mussels, clams and whelks, starfish, lobsters, and crab claws near the Warrenby outfall pipe |
| 30/4/2023 | Seaton Carew | Mussels | Mass wash-ups of mussels on Seaton Carew beach |
| 1/5/2023 | Marske | Shellfish, lobster, raxor clams, mussels etc | MOP reported a range of washed-up species on Marske beach |
| 1/5/2023 | Seaton Carew | Mussels | MOP reported the spread of mussels across SC beach. |
| 5/5/2023 | Seaton Carew | mussels | Reports of wash-up of mussels significant amounts between Newport Bridge and SC. |
| 16/5/2023 | Marske - Saltburn | Various | Approx 250 dead starfish on incoming tide between Marske and Saltburn along with mussels, razorfish, small crabs, urchin shells, and flat fish. |
| 17/5/2023 | Marske High Street | Various | MOP reporting dead sealife - people saving sea life |
| 19/5/2023 | Spittal Point | Dead small crabs | Small little crabs observed by MOP at Spittal Point |
| 20/5/2023 ` | North Sands, Hartlepool | Starfish, small crabs, fish | MOP reported a significant number of small crabs, fish and starfish amongst coal shingles. |
| 21/5/2023 | Marske | starfish | MOP reported video with a significant amount of starfish on the tide line. |
Defra statement
A Defra spokesperson said: “We understand that fishing communities in the North East wanted as thorough an assessment as possible into the crab and lobster deaths, which is why an independent panel of leading marine scientists was convened in late 2022 to provide an objective and full assessment of all available evidence about the causes of the mortality.
“The panel could not identify a clear cause for the unusual mortality but suggested a novel pathogen as the most likely cause. The report includes a full assessment of the possible role of dredging, and concluded that maintenance dredging was ‘very unlikely’ to be the cause of the crab mortality, and capital dredging ‘exceptionally unlikely’ to be the cause.”
The Tees Valley Combined Authority said it had nothing further to add from a statement released following the publication of the crustacean death report. Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said at the time that "having read the report produced by Sir Patrick Vallance’s independent panel of marine experts it is clear that neither dredging, nor any work carried out by the Freeport, played a role in the crustacean deaths that occurred in October 2021." The mayor also called for Government support for the fishing industry.
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