New kid on the block: first record of juvenile American lobster, Homarus americanus H. Milne Edwards, 1837, in European waters

Abstract

A juvenile American lobster, Homarus americanus, H. Milne Edwards, 1837, was recorded for the first time in European waters in August 2019, with the capture of a single early benthic phase specimen during surveys along the North East England coast. Identification was determined by a combination of morphological and molecular approaches. The record raises serious questions of whether the species is now breeding in the region, with associated implications for its invasiveness. The mechanisms of introduction, invasion status, risks to native shellfisheries, and directions of future study are discussed.