Dazzle Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 Oh, jesus. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/fishing-alaska-snow-crab-season-canceled-investigation-climate-change/ In a major blow to America's seafood industry, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has, for the first time in state history, canceled the winter snow crab season in the Bering Sea due to their falling numbers. While restaurant menus will suffer, scientists worry what the sudden population plunge means for the health of the Arctic ecosystem. An estimated one billion crabs have mysteriously disappeared in two years, state officials said. It marks a 90% drop in their population. Freshly caught snow crabs sit in containers on a fishing boat at Mikuni Fishing Port in Mikuni, Fukui Prefecture, Japan, on Friday, Nov. 6, 2015. Buddhika Weerasinghe/Bloomberg via Getty Images "Did they run up north to get that colder water?" asked Gabriel Prout, whose Kodiak Island fishing business relies heavily on the snow crab population. "Did they completely cross the border? Did they walk off the continental shelf on the edge there, over the Bering Sea?" Ben Daly, a researcher with ADF&G, is investigating where the crabs have gone. He monitors the health of the state's fisheries, which produce 60% of the nation's seafood. "Disease is one possibility," Daly told CBS News. He also points to climate change. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Alaska is the fastest warming state in the country, and is losing billions of tons of ice each year — critical for crabs that need cold water to survive. "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." Prout said that there needs to be a relief program for fisherman, similar to programs for farmers who experience crop failure, or communities affected by hurricanes or flooding. When asked what fishermen can do in this situation, with their livelihoods dependent on the ocean, Prout responded, "Hope and pray. I guess that's the best way to say it." 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slegr Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 I've never trusted crabs. I fear they might be evolving, organizing themselves, planning. This may be the beginning of the end, folks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JM_ Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 So did they move somewhere new, or are they gone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostsof1915 Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 It's called overfishing. Probably in combination of warming of seas. I wonder if they scuttle up more north? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 Not sure if it's related, but I just caught the end of the latest "Deadliest Catch" episode and two of the Captains (Sig and Jake) are fishing in Norway.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petey Castiglione Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 Man. I love crab and crab fishing. Saddest part is pulling up the basket and seeing some without claws. Like who the hell does that??? Are a few single claws going to improve your life that much? It's sad what we are doing to our beautiful oceans and ocean life. Also read that Salmon poplutations are stuggling here in BC too. What's it going to take for us to do better? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Vanderhoek Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 1 hour ago, Petey Castiglione said: Man. I love crab and crab fishing. Saddest part is pulling up the basket and seeing some without claws. Like who the hell does that??? Are a few single claws going to improve your life that much? It's sad what we are doing to our beautiful oceans and ocean life. Also read that Salmon poplutations are stuggling here in BC too. What's it going to take for us to do better? Greed, money and perceived pride or selfishness wins every time. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petey Castiglione Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 1 minute ago, Mike Vanderhoek said: Greed, money and perceived pride or selfishness wins every time. Sad but true, my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RUPERTKBD Posted October 14, 2022 Share Posted October 14, 2022 My daughter's ex is a crab fisherman and they had a huge season (spring summer) for Dungeness..... Hopefully this is a case of the Yanks overfishing the grounds in the Bering and not caused by environmental reasons, like water temperature, etc....The local economy here on the North Coast would take a big hit if our crab fishery collapsed.... 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewbieCanuckFan Posted October 15, 2022 Share Posted October 15, 2022 I myself just have crabs thanks to Alf showing me the sites overseas... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 On 10/14/2022 at 9:31 AM, RUPERTKBD said: Not sure if it's related, but I just caught the end of the latest "Deadliest Catch" episode and two of the Captains (Sig and Jake) are fishing in Norway.... And it’s not a huge number that Sig and Jake are reeling in. I have the Alaska fisheries are going to crash for a few years. It’s not these boats that are overfishing but those huge corporate trawlers that basically vacuum up most of the crab out there. The crab have been moving deeper and more northerly. I had Alaskan King crab legs a couple weekends ago. It was more expensive than ever, but man, soooo good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharpshooter Posted October 19, 2022 Share Posted October 19, 2022 On 10/14/2022 at 12:32 PM, RUPERTKBD said: My daughter's ex is a crab fisherman and they had a huge season (spring summer) for Dungeness..... Hopefully this is a case of the Yanks overfishing the grounds in the Bering and not caused by environmental reasons, like water temperature, etc....The local economy here on the North Coast would take a big hit if our crab fishery collapsed.... I’d say it was more due to climate change. The northern ocean around the Strait may be ticking up in temperature moving the crabs further North, or simply not procreating as much or there’s a large die-off event, or a combo of all three. In any case, the world has been warned that Climate Change is real, it’s coming like a freight train, and it will affect more things that scientists can predict. This is just one. Although fish die off was predicted. A lot of guys are gonna lose their boats and livelihoods. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy James Posted October 20, 2022 Share Posted October 20, 2022 (edited) A billion crabs missing!? This sounds like a new platform for the next US election’s Q resurgence wont someone stop the evil crab eating cabal in the basement of the pizza shop? all jokes, but this is terrifying. I don’t like crab myself, but I’m not shellfish. Edited October 20, 2022 by Jimmy James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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