The North Sea oil spill caused by the collision between an oil tanker and a cargo ship earlier this week is “exceedingly worrying” for the shellfish sector, industry bosses have said.
The Stena Immaculate tanker was carrying 130,000 barrels of jet fuel, which may now be leaking into the North Sea.
There are also concerns other substances could be released into the water, including heavier fuel oils and diesel used to power the ships.
Industry experts say that movement in and out of local ports has been relatively unaffected and it is unlikely to pose a risk to supply of white fish in the UK.
However, the shellfish sector was “exceedingly worried to say the least” especially as it had come “after the unexplained die-offs of many shellfish species in the area a few years ago”, said David Jarrad, chief executive of the Shellfish Association of Great Britain.
“Bridlington, Whitby and areas in the locality are synonymous with good-quality shellfish, (crabs, lobsters and nephrops particularly) and consequently the areas are some of the most fertile wild shellfish grounds in the country,” he added.
“At this current time, it is not known if any impact will be had by the shellfish fishing sector or if there will be any impact on the vital ecosystem that is so important for the survival of all marine species.”
There are several significant Marine Protected Areas in the region around the collision site and many environmental organisations have expressed concerns about what pollution could do to marine life.
“The long-term impacts on fisheries, water quality and biodiversity could be devastating,” said Marine Conservaton Society CEO Sandy Luk. “Our biggest concern to the environment right now is the degree to which these chemicals accumulate or disperse, both into the water column and the distance they travel. This all depends on the weather, the currents and the extent of the spill.”
Similar concerns were echoed by Greenpeace, which highlighted how the release of fuel into the sea could pose a risk to nearby nature sanctuaries.
“As more information emerges about what the ships were carrying, we are extremely concerned about the multiple toxic hazards these chemicals could pose to marine life,” said Dr Paul Johnston, a senior scientist at the Greenpeace Research Laboratories at Exeter University. “The jet fuel that entered the water close to a breeding ground for harbour porpoises is toxic to fish and other sea creatures.”
He called on authorities to “urgently assess the situation and put in place measures to contain” any release of substances.
”We must hope an environmental disaster can be averted,” he added.
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