Who Is Erik James Brown From Deadliest Catch's F/V Summer Bay Crew?

Discovery's "Deadliest Catch," which follows the dangerous work of multiple fishermen on crab fishing vessels across Alaska's Bering Sea, has introduced several fan-favorite captains and crews across its 19-season run.

Fans of the reality series will likely be familiar with the crew of F/V Summer Bay, captained by "Wild" Bill Wichrowski, who joined the reality series in 2010 during the sixth season. However, there is one crew member with whom "Deadliest Catch" audiences may not be as familiar: Erik James Brown, known only as "Erik James" on IMDb.

Brown has been a member of Wild Bill's Summer Bay crew for at least four years now. However, the fisherman has only been credited in three episodes of "Deadliest Catch," according to his official IMDb page. Brown made his first credited appearance on the dangerous reality series as a greenhorn, i.e., someone new to the fishing industry or the crew. He made his Discovery debut in the Season 15 episodes "Battle of Kings" and "Price of Punishment" in 2019.

While he first appeared in Season 15 of Discovery's "Deadliest Catch," Erik James Brown is perhaps most recognizable as the deckhand who worked with a broken hand in Season 19. In the episode "Between Payday and Mayday," which premiered on Discovery in June 2023, it was revealed to co-captains "Wild" Bill Wichrowski and Linda Greenlaw that Brown had injured his hand at a bar the night before. While it was indeed broken, Brown chose not to disclose the severity of the injury to his captains or crew so that he could continue to work through the crab season.

Brown shared a clip from the episode on Instagram in September showing Brown and two of his Summer Bay crewmates examining his broken hand, an injury he sustained while he was away from the fishing vessel. "Next time you think your jobs tough......just be glad you werent doing a crab season with a broken hand," Brown wrote in the caption. As Discovery gears up for "Deadliest Catch" Season 20, it is currently unclear if Brown will return to the series.

Brown is seemingly still active on social media. The last post shared on his official Instagram account (@deadliestcatcherik) was made on October 28. The post included three blurry photos of Brown posing on a fishing vessel with a giant octopus. While it did not have a caption, the post was marked as a paid partnership with several clothing and lifestyle brands, including Salty Southern Outdoors, The Mad Hueys, Troll Co. Clothing, and Brunt Workwear.

Erik James Brown has a criminal record dating back to 2003. In October 2020, the "Deadliest Catch" star was arrested in Florida for domestic battery, as reported by Keys News. Brown, 37 when he was arrested, was charged by the Monroe County Sheriff's Office with assault, battery, tampering with evidence, and possession of marijuana after assaulting his girlfriend, who was 20 years old at the time of the incident.

Police reports state that Brown allegedly pushed, choked, and threw items at the victim (whose identity was not revealed to the outlet) before he removed the battery from her phone, preventing her from calling 911. The victim was eventually able to escape and run to a neighbor for help. Brown was arrested and held in Monroe County Jail on a $150,000 bond.

This was not the first time assault charges had been brought against Brown. In June 2020, Brown was arrested on similar charges against the same victim. Brown had allegedly attacked the victim while they were staying at a hotel, and when she ran from him, he pursued her. The chase led to her jumping from the hotel's second-story balcony.

In 2018, Brown was arrested for growing 25 marijuana plants on his houseboat, which was valued at $1.9 million. His criminal record includes battery, possession of marijuana and cocaine, DUIs, possession of weapons, carjacking, and theft, as well as multiple other traffic violations.