FOI release

FOI2022/00260: Crab/Lobster Mortality Events

Some or all of the information requested was not provided because we didn't hold it.

Case reference FOI2022/00260

Published 14 November 2022

Request

Request Received: 8 August 2022

Clarification Received: 1, 9, 14 September 2022

I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information. Please could you provide me with:

A) All internal correspondence between staff on the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) branch of UKRI, including with other UKRI staff, on matters relating to research into the causes of the mass crab die-offs in the North Sea, and the request for funding to look into the issue from a research group being led by Newcastle University.

Please carry out two searches:

1 - Keywords: "dredging" AND/OR "pyridine" AND/OR "crabs"

2 - Keywords: "Newcastle" OR "Newcastle University" AND "pyridine" Date range: 1 October 2021 - present day

B) All internal correspondence between any staff from: - the NERC branch of UKRI, and @defra.gov.uk email addresses - the NERC branch of UKRI, and @cefas.co.uk email addresses on matters relating to research into the causes of the mass crab die-offs in the North Sea, and the request for funding to look into the issue from a research group being led by Newcastle University.

Please carry out a search using these search terms:

3 - Keywords: "dredging" AND/OR "pyridine" Date: 1 October 2021 - present day Please provide the information in electronic form.

For searches 1 and 3, I was seeking to acquire information about discussions had more broadly about the causes of the incident between employees in NERC, and with those in DEFRA/CEFAS.

With regards to search 2 I am looking for information about any discussions had around carrying out, or funding research, into the mass crab mortalities in Teesside.

Response

Response Sent: 30 September 2022

Full details of this response are provided in the attached document.

Documents

This is UK Research and Innovation's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.

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