Yorkshire Coast Shellfish Catches Remain Down

Tuesday, 28 March 2023 06:00

By Matthew Pells

The amount of shellfish being caught by the Yorkshire Coast fishing fleet remains significantly down following the shellfish die off event 18 months ago.

Local County Councillor David Chance is also vice-chair of of the North East Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority.

He says the effects of the mass mortality event are ongoing.

County Councillor Janet Jefferson has been following events around the shellfish die-off closely as part of her role as Scarborough Borough Council's portfolio holder for Harbours.

Councillor Jefferson says the local fishing fleet are continuing to report poor catches.

Scarborough and Whitby MP, Sir Robert Goodwill, chaired a select committee that looked into the mass mortality event, the findings of that committee lead the secretary of state to convene an independent panel of experts to look at the possible causes of the die-off.

Sir Robert says the experts concluded that a new virus was the most likely cause of the shell fish deaths.

Robert Goodwill says the local fishing community is continuing to feel the effect of the mortality event and will do so for some time to vcome.

Secretary of State Therese Coffey said recently that she has concluded that it was “highly unlikely” the cause of the incidents would be found and has ruled out further analysis by the government.

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