Deadliest Catch: Crab Season's Canceled Again, But Season 20 Of The Show Is A Go
Hiccups abound on the waters of the Bering Sea. Whether it's mechanical issues on the ships or rivalries with Russian fishermen, Discovery's "Deadliest Catch" is no stranger to conflict. The fishermen, however, could always count on a lucrative bounty of snow crab. That is, until last year.
Ahead of Season 19, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game canceled both the snow crab and the Bristol Bay red king crab seasons for 2022 and 2023. It was the first time in U.S. history that the snow crab season was canceled. Now, snow crab season has been canceled for the second year in a row.
The closure signals that snow crab populations are continuing to deplete in the Bering Sea. Between 2018 and 2021, the species' population dropped from 8 billion to roughly 1 billion. The culprit, researchers say, is not so much overfishing as it is human-caused climate change.
Despite the absence of snow crabs, Season 19 went off without a hitch, with the numerous fishing vessels focusing instead on golden king crab, bairdi crab, and cod. The "Deadliest Catch" crabbers still raked in cash, with the F/V Time Bandit alone making over $1 million.
Snow crabs may again be off the table for the 2023-2024 season, but a bounty of other species could make Season 20 even more lucrative than last year.
Other fisheries are reopening ahead of Season 20
It isn't all bad news for the 2023-2024 fishing season. Earlier in October, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council confirmed that the Bristol Bay red king crab fishery will reopen following two years of cancellations. The Bering Sea Tanner crab will be available to fish, as well. Per Seattle's KING 5 News, the red king crab's population has risen to 2.15 million pounds — levels that allow for sustainable fishing. When the fishery was last open in 2020, the species measured 2.6 million pounds.
"This is exciting for our industry to be getting to fish red king crab and a financial relief for our industry since federal fishery disaster relief funds from the previous crab closures still haven't been paid to the fishermen and communities harmed," Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers' Jamie Goen told KING 5.
The "Deadliest Catch" crew is already itching to go. Series producer Todd Stanley posted a YouTube video of the crew filming preliminary footage for Season 20. Set to "Gonna Fly Now" from "Rocky," the video sees crew members assembling in what appears to be Dutch Harbor. The sneak peek is titled "Everyone's a director! Deadliest Catch Season 20."