ROCK CLIMBING & CAVING

How Did The King Crabs Become Instinct

Live Blue Crabs varies in Alaska where it’s largely available and commercially marketed. Most prominent in Alaska were the Red, Blue and the Golden King crabs. The Blue King crab also known scientifically as Paralithodes Platypus, began to scarce in numbers in the later part of 1990. The decrease was so dramatic that during this time the fishing business of King Crabs was widely affected where the industry slowly faltered in 1999. Where have all the Blue King crab gone? Were they gone for good?

Some cannot comprehend what have happened to these bluish creatures? How had the waters been so depleted. Alaskan Snow Crab fishing expedition began during the 1960’s where its value started being appreciated. Early on in 1980, catching these King crabs was recorded as highest and was rich mostly in the coast of Pribilof Islands (known as Fur Seal Island) which is located in the Bering Sea. However, by 1995 the supplies in the ocean was at an all time low having decreased around 92%. It was a case of from boom to bust; the Blue King crabs commerce venture came to a bewildering halt.

Investigators came into the picture after the alarming fall in Blue King crabs numbers. They have to study the finest option to know the most appropriate condition for these crabs to develop larvae in its life cycles. Each stage should be monitored carefully from young to adult. Fishermen, in 2006, were catching crabs in order to supply the rehabilitation program with specimen. Carefully documented in this study was the diet, temperature, and the survival rate of the larval. Upon rigorous research and exploration made, the ultimate target of the program was successfully accomplished.

Based on the natural phase of the Blue King crabs life cycle, a two year span is needed for typical mating process. As a scientific fact on this cycle, around 150,000 eggs are fertilized by the female crabs and hold them in their abdomen for a complete whole year. After hatching the larvae another full year must past before the female is ready to mate again. It was very easy to find excellent subjects for research since the embryos were so very easily reached.

In the positive outcome of the research conducted in bringing back the once abundant Blue King crabs, it was in November 2009 that fishing for these crabs resurfaced for the better and talks about it being gone for some time is unheard.

One remarkable characteristic of these types of crabs are their huge right claw and sometimes considered as the largest king crabs available in the freezing sea of Alaska. Although their body are mostly color brown, one can still see highlights of royal blue in their shells. Although they are somewhat brown and blue in color, their shades changes to distinctive orange red if cooked. It was noted somewhere in Matthew Islands where it also abundant, a fisherman caught a crab of this type weighing eighteen pounds!

Anyone who wants to know how many legs of these crabs in every 10 pounds in weight will depend on the grading ratio of its leg quantity. A six to nine would mean that in your 10 pounds you would have six to nine legs to enjoy at dinner. It taste is somewhat sweet and succulent but pleasant and being regarded as the best tasting crab ever which is somewhere close to the Red King crabs taste.

In the market, one can buy these crabs already cooked and chilled to retain its original taste.

Where Have All The Blue King Crab Gone? It’s nice to say now that happy are the people who love this taste quenching dinner that they are finally back!

Henry Mancini – Royal Blue