European proposal to ban American lobsters to move forward

An arm of the European Union says there's enough scientific evidence to move forward with a review of Sweden's request to declare the American lobster an invasive species.

The preliminary opinion by the European Union's Scientific Forum on Invasive Alien Species announced Tuesday sets in motion a broader review that will also take into account information from U.S. and Canadian authorities. It'll consider economic impact and other means of protecting native lobsters.

Lobstermen in the U.S, and Canada had hoped to stop the proposal. Together, they export $200 million worth of lobster to European markets each year.

Sweden set the wheels in motion when it announced it had found 32 American lobsters in the country's waters earlier this year and that they pose a threat to native crustaceans.