May 6, 2016 — Peace-loving Sweden, a country that remained neutral through World War II and brought Volvos and Ikea meatballs to the masses, has launched a bitter attack on New England’s lobster industry.
Swedish government officials have proposed banning the sale of live US lobsters in the European Union and designating them as an invasive alien species, citing concerns about diseases that US experts contend are rare.
The simmering dispute prompted a New England congressional delegation to appeal to the Obama administration to intervene.
Just how similar are the two crustaceans on two continents? For those who have never even heard of Swedish lobster, or enjoyed a warm bowl of signature hummersoppa, it may hard to imagine.