Warmer Ocean Temperatures Cause Disappearance of Snow Crabs in Alaska, Scientists Find

Billions of snow crabs in Alaska’s Bering Sea have disappeared in recent years due to warmer ocean temperatures, according to a study published by scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The snow crab harvest season has been canceled for the second year in a row, with the overwhelming number of missing crabs being cited as the reason. Researchers found a significant link between marine heat waves and the sudden disappearance of the crabs, which began showing up in surveys in 2021. The warmer temperatures and increased population density led to higher mortality rates among the crabs, as the heat disrupted the food web, making it difficult for them to find enough food to meet their increased caloric needs. Other species, like Pacific cod, took advantage of the situation and fed on the remaining crab population. Climate change is causing temperatures around the Arctic to warm four times faster than the global average, leading to the loss of sea ice and amplifying global warming. The collapse of Alaska’s snow crab population is further evidence of the accelerating climate crisis and its impact on livelihoods. The expectation is that the crab population will move north as the ice recedes, leading to fewer crabs in the eastern Bering Sea in the future.