Alaska Snow Crab Season Canceled, Investigators Look Into Disappearance of 1 Billion Crabs

It continues to be a tumultuous year for the U.S. seafood industry with the recent disappearance of one billion winter snow crabs in the Bering Sea. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has reported for the first time in state history an estimated 90% drop in their population. 

Due to the puzzling plunge in the snow crab population, scientists are concerned about the stability of the Arctic ecosystem, whether it’s a sign of an on-going trend or a temporary occurrence. 

According to CBS News, Ben Daly, a researcher with ADF&G, is investigating how the crabs vanished, “Disease is one possibility,” he speculated.

Unsurprisingly, another guess is climate change. In the U.S., Alaska ranks as the fastest warming state and loses billions of tons of ice per year. The ice is essential to snow crab survival. Sadly, it’s predicted to cost local seafood fishers, who unlike farmers aren’t supported by a disaster relief fund, around $200 million.

“Environmental conditions are changing rapidly,” Daly said. “We’ve seen warm conditions in the Bering Sea the last couple of years, and we’re seeing a response in a cold adapted species, so it’s pretty obvious this is connected. It is a canary in a coal mine for other species that need cold water.”

What makes this situation more concerning, earlier this year The Guardian reported that 65,000 dead wild salmon washed ashore due to lack of rainfall in British Columbia. Only 30% of expected salmon actually spawned for the season, showing further proof of climate-change devastation.

 Adding insult to injury, another report was recently released that showed humans have pushed 70% of the animals on our planet to extinction in the last 50 years.

With the disappearance of Alaskan snow crabs, the local harvest season has been canceled and sadly, you can expect restaurant menus to be snow crab-free until further notice.