Crab fishing can be seen at Bristol Bay, the primary area with Dutch Harbour as Alaska’s main crabbing port. Crab fishing in Alaska ranks as the nation's #1 most hazardous job. Then, with the dwindling population of the king crabs, it compelled the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to strictly regulate their harvests. In previous years, fishermen were allowed a mere three to five days to harvest the precious catch, so ships raced against time, nature and each other to capture the most of the fleet-wide quota in 20-hour shifts.
It was, and still is, a race with high stakes. The 2004 season ended after just 80 hours of fishing that hauled in 6.8 million kilogrammes worth US$65.8mil (RM243m). On a successful boat, one fisherman can earn up to US$100,000 (RM367,000) for just five days’ work! Recent changes in the way the fishery is managed have expanded the season to 3 months. The new rules will allow fishermen much more discretion when they catch their allotted crab quota.
More daily news on Alaska at The Anchorage Daily News.
Tags: Alaska, Crab, Fish, Seafood, Dutch Harbour, Bering Sea, Bristol Bay, Fisherman's Express, Anchorage
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