Alaskan Snow Crabs Featured on 'Deadliest Catch' Mysteriously Vanish From Bering Sea

Crabs have mysteriously vanished from the Bering Sea, off the coast of Alaska, where the popular Discovery show "Deadliest Catch" is filmed. 

The crab population plummeted from 8 billion in 2018 to 1 billion today, prompting the cancellation of fishing season.

There are several theories about what might have happened to the crabs, including that they died from disease, ate each other or moved north to colder Russian waters due to climate change. 

“This likely cause is because of the heat and the increased temperatures in the ocean,” said Dr. Robert Foy, science and research director of NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center.

The disappearance of crabs has also increased the price of crab legs across the U.S. At Benjamin Steakhouse in Manhattan, customers pay $119 for two king crab legs. That’s a 100% increase in price, chef Ozzie Brdevaj said.

If you love the delicious delicacy, grab them now, because they may soon be very expensive and hard to find.

Despite the crab shortage, producers of the “Deadliest Catch” say their 19th season will kick off in the spring. They’ll be focused on catching other kinds of sea life.

Related Stories