The Chair of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee of the UK Parliament, the Rt Hon Sir Robert Goodwill MP, has written to Defra with its interim conclusions relating its exploration of the sealife mortality issue off the North East coast. The letter states:

• There is clearly a need for further data and research on the causes of the mass die-off. This must include urgent investigation of the potential sources of pyridine.
• We also recommend that the Government Chief Scientific Adviser should urgently appoint an expert independent scientific panel (“the expert panel”) to review the evidence.
• The MMO must urgently review the dredging activity in the Tees.
• We recommend that the MMO explore, in line with the precautionary principle, what steps could be taken to reduce the risk associated with capital and maintenance dredging such as improved techniques to prevent dredged sediment escaping into the wider environment during excavation.
• The MMO must also ensure that all the current conditions on its licence are met and should include pyridine in the testing as part of any future licence approval process.
• A complete moratorium on maintenance dredging would eventually close the port and its associated industries, causing further economic damage. We believe that maintenance dredging should be kept to the minimum level needed to keep the port operational until the expert panel’s investigation is completed.
• Until the cause of the mass die-off is known, we also believe that the MMO should routinely check for pyridine.
• The Government should reconsider its position on providing financial support to affected communities.

The Committee requested that an urgent response to the letter in advance of the Minister’s appearance before the Committee in November.

The full letter to Thérèse Coffey, Defra Secretary of State, can be read here.