Alaska cancels snow crab season, threatening key economic driver

NBC News ^

[bigdaddy45]

For the first time, crews in Alaska won’t be braving ice and sea spray to pluck snow crab from the Bering Sea.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game canceled the snow crab season earlier this week after a catastrophic population crash of the sizable crustaceans. The red king crab season was canceled for the second year in a row, making it a two-pronged disaster for Alaska’s economy and for those whose livelihoods rely on crab.

“It’s going to be life-changing, if not career-ending, for people,” said Dean Gribble Sr., a 63-year-old crab boat captain who has fished for “opies” — snow crab — since the late 1970s. “A lot of these guys with families and kids, there’s no option other than getting out. That’s where the hammer is going to fall — on the crew.”

[jimmygrace]

Back in the ‘70’s Red Lobster had all you can eat King Crab legs for about $7. My family may have been single handedly responsible for the King Crab calamity in the gulf of Alaska.

[ckilmer]

On the east coast the big restaurant food and the one you can buy at the supermarket —is the king crab.

Have they cancelled king crab fishing as well?

Is there a replacement available?

[BBQToadRibs2]

The all you can eat Chinese buffets are going to need a replacement.

[SpaceBar]

Since water has an extremely low specific heat, negligible thermal capacity and inertia...

You either forgot the sarcasm tag or you don't know what you're talking about.

[from occupied ga]

While I like crab meat, it has been so expensive I stopped buying it years ago. I just looked up the price for a pound of lump crab meat in Baltimore (I have relatives there) $62.99/lb. I can get rib-eye for $10.99/lb even when it’s not on sale. So theoretically should I get 5 3/4 lb of rib-eye and grill it or 1 lb of crab meat ... hmmm such a difficult decision (300 milliSec later a decision is reached). Rib-eye it is.

[ASOC]

They have moved - to Chinese fishing boats.

[BiteYourSelf]

Or Chinese crab fishers sneaking and stealing them.🤔

[dljordan]

The Chinese will be more than happy to poach or crab.

[dsrtsage]

“ You either forgot the sarcasm tag or you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I suppose it could be one or the other. A Schrödinger’s comment, if it pleases you

[BiteYourSelf]

You beat me to it.

[al baby]

Thats Methed up

[null and void]

Let me guess.....caused by climate change??

Well DUH! Global warming caused the snow to melt.

No snow, no snow crabs...

[mmichaels1970]

The red king crab season was canceled for the second year in a row, making it a two-pronged disaster for Alaska’s economy and for those whose livelihoods rely on crab.

Kings have been cancelled according to this. Not sure about substitutes. But I’d venture to guess that the Russians aren’t going to cancel anything.

I remember offloading to the Japanese back then, but I’m not sure if they do any crab fishing or if they’re just buyers.

[plsvn]

The all you can eat Chinese buffets are going to need a replacement.

Local feral cat population likely to go way down.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

"probably a disease"

Did the crabs get crabs?

[CtBigPat]

Cat's In The Kettle

[xkaydet65]

Gonna play havoc with Discovery Channels schedule for the new season. What do the Time Bandit, Wizard, and Northwestern do now.

[Aevery_Freeman]

Ha! Wonder if you needed a < /SARC> tag?

Hope not.

[gitmo]

I was guessing Monkey Pox.

[halfright]

Best of..............and still get more ratings than CNN