Snow crabs were the main highlight of the Alaskan seas, especially the highly-anticipated snow crabs fishing season every year. These crabs were available in abundance and soon became a staple dish in the region.
But a recent survey made shocking revelations on the disappearing snow crabs. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the alarming rate of diminishing snow crabs is an economic and environmental concern.
Although the snow crab population in the Bering Sea on Alaska’s western coast has wavered for decades, the recent freefall in numbers within five years has left the fishing industry in splits.
The year 2018 recorded a peak in the cluster of snow crabs, showing a positive trend for the fishing business. As a result, most businessmen invested in snow crab assets, with an optimistic profit margin within a few years. But nature gave Alaska a reality check, which raises valid concerns for the rest of the world.
Climate researchers and industry experts believe that the drastic shift in water temperatures of the sea has caused the Snow Crabs to disappear in massive amounts.
Why Did the Crabs Disappear?
According to the NOAA abundance survey, the total snow crab population dropped from approximately 11.7 billion in 2018 down to 1.9 billion in 2022. While the trend further estimates a continuation of drop in these numbers in the upcoming years.
The research also inferred that exceptionally warm ocean waters in the Arctic are the primary reason for such a downfall in snow crabs’ statistics.
A researcher with ADF&G, Ben Daly, has been investigating the sudden disappearance of the crabs. As he monitors the health of the state’s fisheries which produce 60% of the nation’s food, he believes that “Disease is one possibility,” as he told CBC News.
As per Daly, the other plausible reason is drastic climate change. Earlier this year, NOAA recorded that Alaska is the fastest-warming state in the country, melting tons of ice rapidly every year.
Daly elaborates further explaining this unusual phenomenon–
“Environmental conditions are changing rapidly.”
“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.”
These are the main conclusions from the research and stats–
- By March 2019, the ice at the Bering Sea almost completely vanished, even during the prime period of winter. Sea temperatures remained above average. Snow Crabs thrive in icy temperatures, while they usually settle at the bottom of the seabed. When the ice melts and sinks to the bottom, it creates a cold pool that acts as a safe space for baby snow crabs. But lack of proper ice quantity might create a hindrance for their refuge against the predatory cods.
- The other valid concern is that warm waters harbor various diseases unsuitable for snow crabs to survive.
Matthew Bracken, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of California, Irvine, who researches marine ecosystems and their communities, explains–
“Whenever you have warming water temperature, that provides a venue for disease to come into the system.”
“More pathogens can survive.”
Have 1 Billion Snow Crabs Disappeared?
For the first time in years, Alaska state canceled the fishing season as the snow crab population crashed by more than 10 billion in 2022.
This hit the commercial fishing industry with $200 million in losses the previous year.
What is your take on the sudden disappearance of the snow crabs? Do you believe global warming is the primary reason for this drastic fall?
Let us know your opinions in the comments section below.
