In recent times, a startling phenomenon has been observed: billions of snow crabs vanishing from the waters around Alaska. Now, scientists believe they’ve unraveled the cause. According to these experts, the snow crabs met a grim fate due to the warming of ocean temperatures.
The revelation comes hot on the heels of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s announcement of the cancellation of the crab harvest season for the second consecutive year. The primary reason cited was the significant drop in snow crab populations within the icy waters of the Bering Sea.
Published by scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on October 19, the study establishes a clear link between the dwindling snow crab numbers, first noticed in 2021 through surveys, and the recent marine heatwaves in the eastern Bering Sea.
Cody Szuwalski, the lead author of the study and a fishery biologist at NOAA, expressed her astonishment when she initially received the 2021 survey data. She noted that many had hoped it was a survey error and that the following year would show an increase in crab populations, but this proved not to be the case.
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