For the past two weeks we have covered the news of the outcome of the investigation into the deaths of crabs and lobster in the North East of England.

The BBC now reports that the government is investigating after new accounts of dead crabs and lobsters along the North East coast. Defra is to “undertake additional sampling” after fishermen reported further deaths.

Tens of thousands of the crustaceans first washed up on shores from Seaton Carew down to Whitby in October. Defra previously said it had “completed a thorough investigation” which found a natural “algal bloom” was responsible.

That finding, which Whitby and Scarborough’s Conservative MP and former fisheries minister Robert Goodwill said he was “inclined to believe, having seen the evidence”, has been disputed by many fishermen, as well as a marine pollution expert. Chemical pollution and dredging have been repeatedly ruled out by Defra as likely causes.

It said it had now received reports of “further dead or dying lobsters and crabs found in a small number of pots along the North East coast” and that it would be taking samples in the area to investigate.

Adrian Noble, a Whitby fisherman of more than 40 years, said he believed there was “not a chance in the world” the deaths were caused by a naturally-occurring algae, adding the industry has been “decimated”. “The way things are at the moment, we don’t know if we can go on for much longer,” he said. “There’s a few fishermen having to go to food banks now. I’m just surviving off my savings.”

Stockton North Labour MP Alex Cunningham is calling for financial aid for fishermen across the region. “Fishermen using food banks – that shouldn’t be happening in 21st Century Britain,” he said. “I hope others will get behind the fight to get the compensation they need to keep their businesses afloat.

You can read more on the BBC news story here and our previous coverage here and here.