Maine politicians, scientists and lobster industry representatives will speak out Friday against Sweden’s bid to deem the American lobster as an invasive species, which would end a $150 million export market to the European Union.
The news conference at Ready Seafood at 40 Commercial St. in Portland will start at 11 a.m.
Those scheduled to speak include Sen. Angus King, U.S. Reps. Chellie Pingree and Bruce Poliquin, University of Maine marine scientist Robert Steneck, Ready Seafood co-owner John Ready and Annie Tselikis, executive director of the Maine Lobster Dealers’ Association.
This month, the European Union’s Scientific Forum on Invasive Species decided that Sweden’s proposal to label the American lobster as an invasive species warranted additional review. American and Canadian scientists had hoped to squelch the proposal with science.
Sweden claims the 32 lobsters found in North Atlantic waters could be the start of an invasion that would threaten the smaller European lobster, both through competition for resources, like food and shelter, the possible transmission of diseases and hybridization of the species.
But American and Canadian scientists say the American lobsters found in European waters have been banded and caught near ocean holding pens, which indicated they have escaped, and that there is no evidence that cross-bred juveniles can produce offspring.
The Scientific Forum recommendation now puts Sweden’s proposal to a broader audience in the 28-member government coalition, and allows the economic impacts of an invasive listing, and possible alternatives to an import ban, to be considered, European Union officials say.
American supporters that think the Swedish proposal is more about protectionist trade policies than science have said they would appeal to the World Trade Organization, the global agency that oversees trade deals between nations, if the European Union tries to ban lobster imports.
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