Crab Fishing

Crab fishing is considered by far the most dangerous occupation due to its rough nature and the sometimes insurmountable weather conditions. The fishing season traditionally lasts only four days, set by laws intended to regulate the harvesting of the crab population.

King crab fishing, especially Alaskan king crab fishing, involves capturing three types of crabs: Red King, Blue King and Golden King. The Red King crabs, or Paralithodes Camtschaticus, the most popular and commonly sought, are valuable because of their meat. These are usually found around or in Bristol Bay, Norton Sound and the Kodiak Archipelago during the months of October and January. Blue King Crabs, technically known as Paralithodes Platypus, are just as popular, but they tend to congregate near St Matthew Island and the Pribilof Islands. The Golden King Crabs (Lithodes Aequispinus) are not commonly hunted unless the red and blue population drops any given season; when Golden Kings are hunted, crab fishing boats situate their traps (called “pots”) around the Aleutian Islands.

Alaska king crab fishing is simple in its process, but it can and frequently does cause injury due to the heavy machinery involved. Any of the larger Alaskan crab fishing boats contains approximately 200 or 300 of these steel-framed, box-shaped pots, each of which typically carries a weight of 600-800lbs. These pots are filled with lure bait such as Herring and/or codfish, and then lowered to the seabed where they rest for two days until retrieved via the use of buoy markers. Crabs are then stored alive in vast holds and delivered to port where they are sold. If weather is extremely cold—to the point of unbearably freezing—crabs can burst, and excessive duration in hold tends to drive crabs to attack and even eat one another. This is why such stock should be delivered to port as soon as possible.

Crab fishing jobs, as said, are hazardous, but they can be exciting, especially since they involve constant travel. Such Alaskan king crab fishing stories have no doubt made a fisherman’s life seem interesting, even intriguing. New crab fishing boats, for example, have probably inspired the beginners, or ‘Greenhorns,’ who have become overwhelmed by such an involved venture as Alaskan king crab fishing. Jobs like these, especially on untried ships, can’t help but make one wonder about the possibilities of sailing or fishing in places like Alaska. King crab fishing is only one small part of it. Alaskan crab fishing jobs include a world of experience to bring and to gain. That’s what makes such stories valuable to share. As difficult as that commonly and often are in or around Alaska, crab fishing jobs do hold an appeal for many despite the 300/100,000 fatality rate associated with the field.

Those who are interested in going into crab fishing can conceivably get their own commercial crab fishing boats, for sale or rental. Larger boats are indeed expensive, but the tens or hundreds-of-thousands of dollars that owners make back on the always-popular king crab delicacy will definitely make the investment worth it.