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Experts say "Intense" Period Of Dredging in River Tees Not Related to Yorkshire Coast Crab Deaths

Maintenance dredging was taking place in the River Tees before last years mass shellfish mortality event, but government scientist say it wasn't the cause.

An intensive period of dredging did take place in the River Tees just before last year's shellfish mortality event.

Thousands of dead crabs and shellfish washed up on the Yorkshire Coast's beaches October.

One theory from academics at Newcastle University is that chemicals released from sediment in the Tees may have affected the crustaceans, but government scientists say there isn't data to support that, and say a naturally occurring algal bloom was probably the cause.

Jerry Hopkinson is Executive Chairman at PD Ports, he says they did bring in an extra dredger to carry out maintenance dredging last autumn, but he doesn't think that was to blame.

Thousands of dead crabs and lobsters washed up on the Yorkshire Coast's beaches between October and December.

Local fishermen and academics from Newcastle university believe it could have been caused by chemicals released from disturbed sediment in the Tees, but DEFRA says an algal bloom was the most likely cause of the event.

Trudi Wakelin from the Marine Management Organisation says the dredging operations are nothing new.

Jerry Hopkinson says he doesn't think the dredging was related to the shellfish deaths

 

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