Shockingly, in 4 years, the population of Alaskan Snow crabs declined by 7 billion. Once thought of as the most abundant crab species in the Bering Sea, the harvest this year has been canceled due to the dwindling population. This cancellation will have harsh effects on crab-fishing families and businesses. After all, the seafood industry in Alaska is the 3rd largest in the state.
Officially, the reason for stopping the harvest was overfishing. Certainly, there were more crabs being fished than being born. However, this does not describe the cause of this sharp decline in population. Lab director for NOAA Fisheries Michael Litzow says that climate change is actually the cause for this dramatic drop. Snow crabs cluster in areas of temperature below 35 degrees fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius). With rising temperatures and loss of sea ice in the Bering Sea, the water the Alaskan snow crabs usually inhabit is becoming less and less ideal for their needed environment. Good news, though– scientists are starting to see a small increase in young snow crabs. While it will be a while before they are at full maturity, there is still hope that they will help regrow the population.
Sources:
https://apple.news/AaudaoUjZT7ORsSVXDa0slw
Energy for the Environment 
Leave a comment