Socially Responsible Fishing – How Fisheries Are Different in Alaska

The main difference between the crab fisheries in Alaska and in other parts of the ocean are that strict rules are in place to ensure that the crabs are not overfished. These rules are also important in ensuring the utmost levels of safety for the boats and fishermen who are out in the waters. In the past, the mad rush for millions of dollars worth of crab meat led to even seasoned fishermen making rash decisions, ones that sometimes cost the lives of crew members. Managed by a state institution as well as federal overseeing committee, the waters and fisheries of Alaska are some of the best-maintained in the whole world, reporting perpetually stable levels of king crab population. This means that consumers who are purchasing king crab from fleets fishing in the Alaska waters can rest assured that they are not contributing to a decline in the population of the king crab.

Another important factor to consider is just how difficult it is to get king crab from the sea floor to your dinner table. Fishing for crabs in Alaska is one of the deadliest jobs in the entire country, with disasters practically every season and unpredictable seas making what could possibly be a routine job in better conditions anything but. Therefore, it’s even more amazing to consider the prices that most shoppers are able to pay at the grocery store, especially when you take into account what a rough occupation this can be. After all, fishermen are heading out to crab fisheries in Alaska during the coldest winter months, when the water and air temperatures are both dangerously low. The pots that the fishermen use, which consist of enticing seafood lowered into the depths of the ocean, can sometimes weigh close to a ton when the less than ten people on board the boat start dragging it up to the surface. There is plenty of room for error, despite the fact that crab fisheries in Alaska are well-regulated. So rest assured that the prices for all-natural Alaska king crab are beyond reasonable, all factors considered. And realize that you’re helping out with a dangerous and crucial industry, putting food on other people’s tables while you choose the best for yours.