Mystery shellfish deaths spread to Robin Hood's Bay as fishermen report reduced catches

Dead shellfish have been reported washed up on the beach at Robin Hood's Bay Picture: James Hardisty

Dead shellfish have been reported washing up in Robin Hood’s Bay, while some fishermen have had reduced catches, weeks after mass marine deaths were first reported near the Tees Estuary.

Agencies, including North Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (NEIFCA), with the help of its patrol boat North Eastern Guardian III, are investigating the cause of the deaths, but no definitive answers have been found yet.

NEIFCA’s chief fisheries officer David McCandless said a report from a member of the public earlier this week of dead shellfish in Robin Hood’s Bay was the furthest south they’d had to date, while Whitby fishermen have also expressed concerns in recent weeks.

He said: “At the moment it tends to be mainly impacting smaller vessels working closer to shore, within two-and-a-half miles.

Saltburn beach on October 24 where thousands of crabs were found washed up

“They’ve been expressing concern about some mortality in their pots and reduced catch levels.”

NEIFCA is working with the Environment Agency, Defra, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas), and others to try and find the cause.

Cefas has to date found “no clear indications” of marine neurotoxins in samples at levels which would cause concern. Analysis of water quality by the EA has also so far detected nothing of concern.