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October 2021 saw the beginning of an environmental catastrophe on the north east coast as thousands of crustaceans washed up dead along numerous beaches. Fishermen from Hartlepool to Whitby reported plummeting catches as their livelihoods became seriously threatened. We follow the local community as they deal with the fallout from this ecological disaster and try to understand how it came about.
James Cole is a sixth-generation crab and lobster fishermen from Whitby who might be facing the last year of his career. Following reports from further up the coast last autumn, James started to notice below average catches for crabs and a real lack of younger stock in the North Sea. Having weathered heavy losses to his earnings he is not sure how much longer he can keep hold of his boat.

Sally Bunce is an ex-police officer turned environmental volunteer and activist. After the first wave of deaths she started to investigate the mass mortality and believes dredging activity in the River Tees may have inadvertently led to the die off. PD Ports – the statutory harbour authority that looks after the Tees – dispute that dredging may have had anything to do with the incident.

A joint government investigation also found that dredging was not the cause and whilst they were unable to determine a single, causative factor, they believe a naturally occurring algal bloom may have been of significance.

Joe Redfern recently set up The Whitby Lobster Hatchery which aims to replenish lobster stocks in the area, ensuring a sustainable future by aiming to release 100,000 juvenile lobsters into the North Sea every year. Following the mass mortality Joe and fishermen from up and down the coast set up the North East Fishing Collective to look for their own answers. They commissioned their own report into the mass mortality and identified a chemical, pyridine, as a possible causative factor.

Following both the government and the fishing collective’s reports, further studies were set up to investigate the issue. We follow their work as the community tries to get a step closer to resolving the mystery of the mass mortality.