How Climate Change May Be The Biggest Villain On Deadliest Catch

"Deadliest Catch" has been accused of putting on a show for the cameras on occasion, but reality shows that are actually real are few and far between. However, the long-running Discovery series, which chronicles the lives of various crab fisherpeople as they navigate the icy seas of Alaska, boasts its fair share of real-world drama and excitement. It's not uncommon for something to go wrong in any given episode. Furthermore, "Deadliest Catch" is a show that's synonymous with danger and tragedy, so its realistic elements deserve some acknowledgment.

The cast and crew of "Deadliest Catch" often have to deal with Mother Nature's unpredictability, which has forced them to work under some risky conditions throughout the years. However, while storms and hazardous waters present their own type of danger for everyone involved in the making of the series, climate change has arguably become the biggest villain on "Deadliest Catch." But how exactly has climate change affected the Discovery show?

According to Anchorage Daily News, rising water temperatures have resulted in a depletion of cold water crabs in the Bering Sea. Naturally, this has impacted Alaska's fishing industry, and the captains and crew members who occupy the vessels on "Deadliest Crab" understand this all too well. Climate change has forced the gang to venture into uncharted territories to find crabs and keep the series going. However, it hasn't been an easy adjustment to make at times.

Executive producer R. Decker Watson, Jr., has acknowledged that climate change is a real issue that's affected the reality series, even though the topic is polarizing among certain viewers. "It's a big risk for us to discuss climate change because so many people can think that it's a political issue when really it isn't, particularly in the context of the fishing fleet," he told Associated Press. The phenomenon was even hailed as a guest star for Season 13, and while the cast and crew hoped to use the show as an opportunity to educate viewers, Watson, Jr. also tried to avoid politics. "At the end of the day, the job of 'Deadliest Catch' isn't to teach people, it's to keep people at the edge of their seats," he added.

Captain Keith Colburn elaborated on climate change during a conversation with Bloomberg, claiming that it also causes "erratic weather" which makes everyone's job more dangerous.