On Air Now

This is the Coast

Midnight - 8:00am

  • 01723 336444

Now Playing

Freak Power

Turn On Tune In Cop Out

Download
Listen Live Advertise

North Yorkshire Council Leader Presses Government Over Shell Fish Deaths

Friday, 24 February 2023 06:00

By Matthew Pells with additional reporting from Stuart Minting, Local Democracy Reporter

The leader of North Yorkshire County Council has asked the government for more evidence about the cause of the mass shellfish die off along the Yorkshire Coast.

North Yorkshire County Council leader Councillor Carl Les said he would also “follow up” concerns raised by opposition elected members of the authority over the availability of compensation for fishermen from Staithes to south of Filey who had been affected by crab, lobster and more recently prawn die-offs.

Shellfish catches remain significantly down after the mass mortality event in Autumn 2021.

The latest government report concluded the deaths were due to a new virus not seen previously in UK waters. A previous report suggesting an algal bloom was to blame was later debunked.

Councillor Carl Les is concerned.

A meeting of the county council heard several councillors highlight how communities along the coast were suffering the financial fall-out and while the prospect of further die-offs was proving to be unsettling.
 
Councillor Andy Brown agrees that more clarity is needed.

Councillor Les said the authority was continuing to monitor the crustacean mortality issue affecting the the county and said the council was the joint biggest funder of the North East Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority.

Councillor Les said he had written to the Secretary of State highlighting the importance of the high quality natural environment of the North Yorkshire coast for wildlife, tourism and in supporting key aspects of the local economy including the fishing industry, and asking that further investigations are carried out.

Share

Did you find this article useful?

This is the Coast is committed to providing a daily local news service for the Yorkshire Coast. We are a small locally owned and operated business which employs professional journalists and reporters. We do not receive any public funding or grants and we are entirely funded by our local commercial operations. We enjoy fabulous support from local businesses who work with us on their advertising and marketing campaigns, but the cost of providing high quality, well researched, fact checked local news coverage is significant.

If you appreciate what This is the Coast does, and would like to help support our journalism, please consider supporting us on a monthly basis today.

A small contribution from all our readers would really help support independent journalism for the Yorkshire Coast.

More from Yorkshire Coast News

Comments

Add a comment

Log in to the club or enter your details below.

Follow Us

Get Our Apps

Our Apps are now available for iOS, Android and Smart Speakers.

  • Available on the App Store
  • Available on Google Play
  • Just ask Amazon Alexa
  • Available on Roku

Today's Weather

  • Scarborough

    Light rain

    High: 10°C | Low: 9°C

  • Filey

    Light rain

    High: 10°C | Low: 9°C

  • Whitby

    Heavy Rain

    High: 10°C | Low: 9°C

  • Bridlington

    Heavy Rain

    High: 10°C | Low: 9°C

  • Hornsea

    Light rain

    High: 10°C | Low: 9°C

  • Driffield

    Heavy Rain

    High: 10°C | Low: 9°C

News

© Copyright 2025 This is the Coast Limited. This is the Coast is licensed by PRS & PPL to stream music online. Powered by Aiir.