Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Teesside Sea Life

Thursday 30 March 2023 · 3 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

Read the full transcript on Parliament.uk

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 1 Not answered 0

Key points

  • Ministerial review reported in January regarding the die-off of crustaceans off the Teesside coast
  • Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs-led investigation ruled out pyridine as a cause
  • Jim McMahon and other MPs met fishers to discuss the impact of the crustacean die-off on local livelihoods

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Alex Cunningham Lab
Environment
Context

Crustaceans and other sea life have been dying off in the Teesside coast area, affecting local ecosystems.

Question

What steps she is taking to determine the cause of the die-off of crustaceans and other sea life off the Teesside coast. Following a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs-led multi-agency investigation last year, I commissioned a further review which reported in January regarding the issue that affected crustaceans.

Answer from Therese Coffey

Following a Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs-led multi-agency investigation last year, I commissioned a further review which reported in January regarding the issue that affected crustaceans. It ruled out some of the prevailing theories, including the role of pyridine, and the view of the independent expert panel was that finding something to which we can attribute the cause with certainty is unlikely. However, we have continued to monitor this.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The answer avoided providing concrete steps or actions taken by the government to determine the cause of the die-off and ruled out some prevailing theories but did not provide new specific information beyond what was already known from previous investigations.

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Q2 Alex Cunningham Lab
Environment
Context

A school student wrote a speech highlighting the decline of beaches and sea life since receiving Blue Flag status.

Question

When 11-year-old Erin-Rose Cawley from Redcar was asked to write a speech for school, she wrote: “The year is 2019 and our beaches have just received the Blue Flag meaning our beaches are some of the country's best. Fast forward two years to beaches knee deep in dead, twitching crabs—a die off that was a never before seen phenomenon.” Will the Minister tell Erin-Rose what the Government are going to do to ensure our dead sea is brought back to good health?

Answer from Therese Coffey

CEFAS has not received any reports of similar crab or crustacean mortality events since what happened in 2021, and a significant review—a significant review has been undertaken already. I really do not think it is in the best interests to continue to challenge expert scientists who have undertaken that review and ruled out the theory that the hon. Gentleman has been pushing for some time now.

Not addressed: The answer did not address what actions the government will take to ensure marine health, instead focusing on defending previous reviews and dismissing theories without providing concrete steps forward.

How: Defended Previous Reviews, Dismissing Theories

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Q3 Jim McMahon Labour (Co-op) Oldham West, Chadderton and Royton
Environment
Context

Local fishermen have expressed frustration over the lack of action regarding the crustacean die-off in Teesside.

Question

I sat with fishers a few weeks ago, alongside my hon. Friends the Members for Stockton North (Alex Cunningham) and for Middlesbrough (Andy McDonald), to hear about the impact that the Teesside crustacean die-off has had on the livelihoods of local fishers. Let me tell the Secretary of State what they said: “We're finished. There's nothing left to catch.” “No-one listens. We're just fishermen!” “We're not asking for a handout. We're asking for a roadmap to get back on track.” “Levelling up? They've levelled Teesside down”. Working people—the grafters of this country and the foundation of our food security—are being ignored.

Answer from Therese Coffey

I am really disappointed by that. The shadow Secretary of State has basically impugned the integrity of the chief scientific adviser of DEFRA.

Not addressed: The answer did not address the specific ask about meeting Stan Rennie and the North East Fishing Collective, instead attacking the opposition MP's comments.

How: Attacking The Opposition

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