Fishermen along the North East coast have told of taking up new jobs amid a fishing crisis which has threatened their livelihoods and seen dead crustaceans wash up along the shoreline.
Paul Graves, a lifelong fisherman off the Teesside and North Yorkshire coast, has taken up extra jobs over the summer to earn a living while his fishing boat is tied up in Hartlepool
Mr Graves, like many other fishermen in the area, have grown frustrated by a marine life crisis which has seen hundreds of dead crustaceans wash ashore along the coast.
Dead and dying crabs and lobsters were first spotted in unusually high numbers along parts of the North East coast of England in 2021, with the mass devastation continuing this year.
Read more: Mysterious killer continues to wipe out North East sea life
A range of potential causes including licensed dredging activity, chemical contamination, presence of algal blooms and aquatic animal disease were investigated – but no single, consistent causative factor was identified.
However, a harmful algal bloom present in the area was identified as of significance and the most likely cause.
For Paul, he’s contemplated selling his boat, owned by his family for years, due to the uncertain future.
“I tied the boat up and went and did seven weeks work for a cable company,” he said.
“That’s paid my bills for the rest of the year but now I’ve got to think about the next few months and how I’m going to live. My fishing boat is waiting, and I can go out almost wherever I want but other people can’t and are tied to this area.”
Activists and local fishermen continue to dispute the official explanation behind the mortality, although dredging has continually been ruled out as a likely cause. Ten months on from the first issues being reported, fishermen are still reporting catch levels significantly below the levels they were seeing last summer.
Those affected by the crisis, first reported in October 2021, have now announced their intention to begin a legal campaign and are calling for a judicial review into the government’s handling of the crisis.
Local disquiet over the issue has gained national attention and led to several protests – on the River Tees and North East beaches – but fishermen are now ready to take their concerns a step further.
“It’s got to the point now where there must be a judicial review,” said Paul. “There are too many agencies passing the book on. It’s been passed from pillar to post.”
A group of fishermen from North East coastal towns Hartlepool and Whitby have raised the issue with Tees Valley mayor Ben Houchen, DEFRA fisheries minister Victoria Prentis, and say local MP Jill Mortimer is now “in the trenches with us” on the issue – but have told of their frustration after months of alleged denial from government agencies.
“We’re still no further forward and nobody wants to take responsibility for what’s happened,” Paul said.
Hartlepool fisherman Paul Widdowfield, has told of his daily catches being 50 times smaller than three years ago, generating a £1,000 loss per day.
Paul Graves acknowledges that catches over the summer have improved but remain low.
He added: “A lot of us are trying to fish sustainably and we now know what should be there but it’s not. For everyone to say that we must accept that it’s algal bloom is just wrong.
“We need answers because nobody wants to admit to it. All we’re interested in is what’s happened, who’s to blame and how we’re going to sort it out.”
A protest along North East beaches last weekend was held to raise awareness of the crisis, as well as concerns over the amount of pollution being released into the sea. The Reclaim Our Sea collective say there is an “imminent danger” to the sea and its wildlife.
The Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) says a judicial review has not been launched but it is aware of potential forthcoming legal action.
A spokeswoman added: “Defra led a comprehensive investigation into the cause of dead crabs and lobsters that washed up on the North East coast between October and December last year.
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“Government scientists carried out extensive testing for chemicals and other pollutants including pyridine but concluded a naturally occurring algal bloom was the most likely cause. The amount of any chemical needed to cause a mortality event of this scale would have had to be huge and could not have escaped detection in the extensive sampling carried out at the time. Chemical pollution was therefore ruled out as a likely cause for the incident.”
A spokesperson for the South Tees Development Corporation said: “All official scientific investigations to date have ruled out dredging as a cause for the mass die-off of crustaceans. No dredging work has yet been carried out by the South Tees Development Corporation in the river or the sea, nor has any organisation associated with the Development Corporation. PD Ports, the statutory authority for the river, has previously carried out millions of tonnes worth of dredging every year for decades and this is the first time deaths at this scale have been reported.
“Should STDC carry out any dredging works on the river, local people can be assured that it will be to the highest standards, far exceeding the baseline legal requirements, and will involve significant consultation with statutory bodies such as the Environment Agency, CEFAS, Natural England.
“The focus now needs to be on ensuring the livelihoods of in the fishing community are protected. Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen will be pressing Government for financial support to help of those affected.”
Read next:
- North East fishermen stage protest over mass sea life deaths
- North East marine life crisis - who is responsible?
- Anger over DEFRA report into North East sea life deaths
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