![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/teesside-freeport-work-continues-despite-crab-death-concern/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/125952235_deadshellfishsallybunce.jpg&description=Image source, Sally BunceImage caption, Thousands of dead crabs and lobsters washed up along the North East coast in October 2021Work to build a freeport on Teesside will continue as a debate about dredging and shellfish deaths rages.Thousands of crabs died in October 2021 along the North East coast with fishermen blaming dredging in the River Tees for releasing a toxic chemical.South Tees Development Corporation said dredging as a cause had been ruled out.The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has heard regular maintenance dredging was being carried out around the mouth of the Tees when the first die offs occurred.Though government scientists and PD Ports, which is responsible for the waterway, said the deaths were a coincidence, academics commissioned by the North East fishing industry claimed the dredging of a slippage of sediment on the river bed could have released a chemical called pyridine which tests showed was "exceptionally toxic" to crabs.The maintenance dredging, which PD Ports said has been carried out six days a week for decades without incident, is different to the dredging work that started eight weeks ago as part of the creation of the freeport's South Bank Quay near Redcar and which has only seen material dumped on land, not at sea.Image source, South Tees Development CorporationImage caption, The areas marked in red are being dredged for the creation of the South Bank QuayBut Gary Caldwell, a marine scientist at Newcastle University, called for dredging as part of the creation of the freeport to be halted until a survey of what chemicals are in the river bed is carried out.He also said he had received a letter from three government departments asking for his data "so we can work together to stop the dredging of the South Bank".Dr Caldwell told MPs there were "multiple stresses" acting on the North Sea, including algal blooms, but there were "strong indicators some major event broke that stress system".He said his group was not against d){kind=link}
Work to build a freeport on Teesside will continue as a debate about dredging and shellfish deaths rages.
Thousands of crabs died in October 2021 along the North East coast with fishermen blaming dredging in the River Tees for releasing a toxic chemical.
Though the government said an algal bloom was to blame, concerns have been raised with MPs about future dredging as part of the Teesworks freeport.
South Tees Development Corporation said dredging as a cause had been ruled out.
The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee has heard regular maintenance dredging was being carried out around the mouth of the Tees when the first die offs occurred.