MPs have called for dredging at freeport sites across the UK to be paused while a mass die-off of marine life is investigated.
They used a Commons question session to express further concerns over the deaths of thousands of crabs and lobsters washed up on North Sea beaches, including as far north as Seaham. The Government expects to receive a report from an independent panel of experts this month and has said it will "respond to the facts as they are presented".
A mass die-off of marine life on the North East was apparent between October and December 2021 and saw dying creatures "twitching" and displaying lethargic behaviour. Last year, The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) said it had concluded that a "naturally occurring algal bloom" was the most likely cause of the deaths, after a "thorough investigation".
