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Written question asked by Alex Cunningham (Labour) on Wednesday, 10 May 2023, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 15 May 2023 (named day). It was answered by Mark Spencer (Conservative) on Monday, 15 May 2023 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Shellfish: North Sea

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, if she will take steps with the (a) Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science and (b) Environment Agency to provide an inventory of the remaining samples from the original events that took place in (i) October 2021 and (ii) June 2022 in the North Sea.

Answer

Crustacean samples from the mortality incident are preserved and securely stored by Cefas. There are eight stored composite samples collected between October 2021 and October 2022, including samples collected early in the investigation by the Environment Agency and those obtained by the Fish Health Inspectorate. These comprise individual and pooled samples derived from more than 80 animals. Samples have been stored according to standard ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratory procedures as frozen homogenised tissues, fixed histological preparations, or as partially processed tissues and organs (e.g., extracted DNA or RNA).

Cefas is currently arranging for the remaining samples from the original crustacean mortality investigation to be provided to stakeholders in the Northeast in response to their request for any remaining sample material. Provision of these samples will be in line with reporting requirements for disease under Fish Health Inspectorate obligations.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
184384
Session
2022-23
Subjects
Environment Agency Shellfish North Sea Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk