Yorkshire Coast fishing group calls for safe sea 'operations' to prevent further shellfish deaths
Work and research is continuing to find out the exact reasons why
Fishing groups on the Yorkshire Coast are calling for any major operation in the sea to be done properly and safely to prevent further deaths of shellfish.
It is after a new university study suggesting Pyridine, a toxic chemical, is likely to be responsible.
It said: "A new study, commissioned by the North East Fishing Collective and carried out by researchers at the Universities of York, Newcastle, Durham and Hull, has shown that pyridine, used as an anti-corrosion treatment in marine infrastructure, is highly toxic to crabs even at low levels, and results in twitching and paralysis before death - symptoms observed in the crabs by witnesses at the time of the mass wash-ups."
The Government is linking the deaths to algae but the North East Fishing Collective insists a substance used to dredge the River Tees played a part.
Research and work is continuing to find out the exact reasons why.
Joe Redfern, General Manager of Whitby's Lobster Hatchery and a representative of the North East Fishing Collective, said: "They believe there's still gaps in the dredging theory and are standing by the algae theory to date. There's certainly huge gaps in the algae theory but we believe there's less gaps in the fact it could have been the dredging, so the universities are continuing to work and fill those gaps.
"The dredging can disturb sediment and there's a lot of regeneration going on in the Tees. The destruction of the Dorman Long Tower happened two weeks before the big dredging operation, so there may be some other disturbances factored into it and then the dredging has acted as a catalyst and sped up any impact into the sea.
"We want to see an increase in the sampling and the surveying that's done before any major operation whether it be dredging or any other regeneration. We want to see that that's done properly and without a shadow of a doubt 100 percent say that it's safe for the environment, marine life and for us that it can go ahead."
People can find out more about the North East Fishing Collective on their website.
MPs are due to hold a hearing later this month into the shellfish deaths.