How Dangerous Is King Crab Fishing?

Crab legs are the best you have ever tasted; but where do king crabs come from? Understanding the demands and what goes into getting you some crab legs in the king crab fishing industry is important. These men sacrifice a lot and things like fuel costs do hurt the fishermen in the king crab fishing industry.

Is King Crab Fishing Dangerous?

It is a dangerous job working in the commercial fishing industry as a fisherman in Alaska. While the death toll among fishermen is high; the rates for king crab fishing are even double that.

And many still endure this occupation because of the huge returns that they get, but almost every week of the crab fishing season, someone dies.

Sometimes, very bad things happen and a whole crew or many from a crew die.

There have been such incidences when boats capsize, catch fire or start to take on water. The last place you want to be is on one of these boats in a freezing storm; hypothermia is one of the main causes of death.

In times gone by the crab stock in the Bering and surrounding seas could supply hundreds of fishing vessels and take in millions of tonnes of crabs. Now those days are a distant memory and to get you, your favorite crab legs; only fewer boats are allowed.

King crab fishing is very popular and very high paying for only a few days of, albeit dangerous work.

With the tantalizing promises of the king crab legs; the red king crab is the most favored. It is bigger and has more meat on its legs. They are found in certain grounds that are silt or sandy.

To protect the species, there are guidelines to follow when catching crabs, and the first being only male crabs of certain weight and development. This allows male crabs to procreate.

Jumping into this career is not as easy as you think.

You must go through physical exams, training and have the proper gear. With the demands of such a job, one must be able to lift heavy equipment, get a license, and can withstand the harsh conditions.

This is not a job if you just simply love you some king crab legs.

The industry does have some more setbacks.

Russia took the initiative many years ago to create its king crab industry. They knew of the demand for crab legs and saw that it would be a lucrative investment.

Now they have one of the largest stockpiles of crabs, anywhere in the world. Also, they can export it at a cheaper cost than those coming from the Alaskan seas.

The high cost of fuel does not help them either.

Where they used to earn millions of dollars, boats now take in under a million dollars. Typically, fifty percent will go to the boat’s captain. Why? This goes towards all the costs incurred and his income. Of course, one must understand that the boat has to be taken care of and the equipment in tip-top shape.

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About the writer:
Poetess Denise N. Fyffe is a published author of over 40 books, for more than ten years and enjoys volunteering as a Counselor. She is a trainer, publisher, author, and writing mentor; helping others to achieve their dreams.

Check out her book Treasures of Colombia

This book shares some of the delicious cuisine found in Colombia; from empanadas to arepa boyacense, and bandeja paisa to arepa de huevo. Colombian street food is especially important in Colombian culture because it brings people together. They enjoy sitting in groups with family or friends, blocking off the sidewalks and alleyways as they devour tasty morsels of Colombian cuisine steeped in spices and ingredients.

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