Alarming Discovery of Crayfish – Urge to Wash Equipment

A new species of crayfish native to the Pacific Ocean has been found off the coast of Husum in the municipality of Örnsköldsvik. This is the first such discovery in Sweden.

It does not yet have a Swedish name, but its Latin name is Nippoleucon hinumensis.

The five-millimeter-long crayfish lives in bottom sediments and has previously been observed in both Germany and Finland.

The species is harmless to humans and animals, according to a press release from the Västernorrland County Administrative Board, but its impact on the surrounding environment is unknown.

“We don’t yet know what effects the new species might have, but we know that it’s much easier to prevent its spread than to deal with any consequences afterward,” says environmental officer Tove Lönneborg in the press release.

She urges swimmers, anglers, and boat owners to empty, wash, and dry any equipment that will be moved.