A demand for an “overdue” response to questions about ongoing ocean monitoring and sample archiving has been made by Stockton North MP Alex Cunningham to Fisheries Minister, Mark Spencer MP.
Writing to the Minister on 12 May Alex, who met with scientists who were part of the independent panel into crustacean die-offs across the Teesside and North Yorkshire coast line, asked the Minister to consider a set of measures to support local fisher people in the long-term. These included regular, and comprehensive, monitoring of the seabed and fauna, as well as the archiving of samples used in previous testing to allow for future research.
As of today (21 June) Alex has yet to receive a reply from the Minister, prompting him to lay down a Written Parliamentary Question seeking a response.
Alex said:
“A response to my letter is long overdue and I’m calling on the Fisheries Minister to provide one as soon as possible. Local fishers have been through so much in recent years and they deserve answers and assurances that the Government will continue to monitor our oceans in order to spot issues that could seriously affect an already precarious industry.
“To have not issued a response in over a month is utterly discourteous to a community that already feels ignored by this Government. I hope my prompt will cause the Minister to look into the queries I have raised and respond quickly.”
