Written question asked by Robert Goodwill (Conservative) on Wednesday, 8 December 2021, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Friday, 10 December 2021. It was answered by Rebecca Pow (Conservative) on Thursday, 16 December 2021 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Shellfish: Tees Valley

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what discussions he has had with (a) Cefas and (b) the Environment Agency on investigating the cause of the deaths of crabs, lobster and other crustacea along the Tees Valley coastline.

Answer: Defra, Cefas, MMO and the Environment Agency (EA), along with other agencies, are continuing to collaborate on the investigation into the cause of death of crustacea along the Tees Valley and other parts of the coastline in the north east. The EA and Cefas have undertaken extensive tests to try to determine the cause and are reviewing the evidence gathered since the start of this incident, as well as considering any additional work needed. Previously, chemical pollution was ruled out by the EA as a likely cause for the mortality.

Secondary information