Hundreds of dead crabs on the beach at Seaton Carew, Hartlepool. First published on Fri 20 Jan 2023 16. An initial government investigation, published in May 2021, said the phenomenon could have been caused by a naturally occurring harmful algal bloom. The team also add it is very unlikely that the die-offs are a result of a pyridine or lobster amuse bouche toxic pollutant.

Another suggested cause, capital dredging on the Tees, was deemed exceptionally unlikely to be the reason for the die-offs. The report added it was possible that several of the stressors considered could have operated together to lead the die-off, a point reiterated by Dr Tammy Horton, a research scientist at the National Oceanography Centre and co-author. The report was met with criticism by academics from the universities of York, Newcastle and Durham. Given that the weight of evidence indicates an industrial source for the die-offs, it is disappointing to see that the independent expert panel have reached the conclusion that the die-offs were probably caused by an unknown pathogen, despite there being no direct evidence for this.

Joe Redfern, the secretary of Whitby Commercial Fishing Association, said he and the NEFC were surprised and disappointed at the conclusions of the report. Cefas had previously screened many diseases both native and international. Media Limited or its affiliated companies. She serves as the executive director of the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation. Spiny lobsters do not have claws. They do, however, have long, strong antennae. These lobsters are generally found in warm water environments such as the Caribbean and the Mediterranean.

As a seafood dish, they most often show up on the menu as lobster tail. Although they have a reputation for being scavengers and even cannibals, studies of wild lobsters show that they prefer live prey. These bottom-dwellers feast on fish, mollusks, worms, and crustaceans. While it takes an American lobster six to eight years to reach a market weight of one pound, that’s just the beginning.

Lobsters are long-lived creatures, with estimated lifespans of more than 100 years. Lobster shells don’t grow, so as a lobster gets bigger and older, it molts and forms a new shell. Adult lobsters molt about once a year. During this vulnerable time, the lobster retreats to a hiding place and sheds its exoskeleton. After molting, the lobster’s body is very soft and it can take a few months for the outer shell to harden again. World’s Largest Lobster, Shediac, New Brunswick. The largest American lobster on record was caught off Nova Scotia in 1977.