This is going to be an interesting story.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment ... e-freeport

Defras first answer was a bit sh1t and i was honestly waiting for it to be blamed on a Ruskie subs sonar.

Any credible theories?

There’s a true story about Russian aircraft radar and rabbits..... any way some blokes banging on about anti fouling paint on ships hulls, but I’m sure it would have surfaced years ago, if that was the case.

well that so called mystery dog illness was found in real coastal areas like bradford where the only crabs you,ll find will be in the supermarket. these types of illnesses pop up from time to time and always have done. nowadays they always have to find a reason for this which always has the environment word on it somewhere. out of my pair one got it and the other didn,t and go out together mixing with the same dogs. some clown actually called it canine covid. i just give up at times.

I live quite close to the coastline and see all sorts of refuse that gets washed up, I'd be very surprised if illegal dumping out at sea hasn't been happening for years, let's be fair it's virtually impossible to police.

These incidents become a cause celebre for every interested group to hang their hats on.
Everyone from every environmental corner with a dog in the fight will rush to use it to reinforce their cause.
Doubt the cause will ever be found....but if it’s just crabs, why not other marine creatures being washed up? Is it specific to them....?

Isn't it crustaceans generally? Lobsters as well as crabs apparently. Not great for those who make a living from crustaceans locally.

Blame the big foreign factory trawlers literally hoovering the sea bed for sand eels ( for fertiliser) and everything else in the food chain..... no food to eat in a food desert.

Thread has nothing to do with putting it about a bit .sleeping around in the late 70's early 80's then.

Your ‘secret’s’ safe with the World Wide Web, don’t scratch them.

You know something..bait taken . well done snowy.

Should do ....spent a full two days during initial instruction being scared shitless by graphic lectures and film shows on the consequences of ‘casual relationships’ in the 70’s.....

never been casual about relationships. some have cost me a fortune.