A new study has shed light on what caused the die-off of crabs, lobsters and other crustaceans in late 2021. A government commissioned study by independent experts has pinned the deaths to a pathogen. Then, a study by academics backed by the fishing industry pointed to an industrial pollutant called pyridine, possibly linked to the dredging. But the latest government-commissioned study by independent experts said it was "as likely as not that a pathogen new to UK waters" was the cause of the deaths, with symptoms such as twitching in dying crustaceans. The report found that an algal bloom was "unlikely", and it was "very unlikely" that pyridine or another toxic pollutant caused the crab deaths.

Source: News 24 January 21, 2023 21:28 UTC