July 14, 2025 — The red king crab fishery in Alaska has faced historic closures in recent years, leaving many harvesters sidelined and processors searching for opportunities elsewhere to meet demand. Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch returns for its 21st season on Friday, August 1. This season’s storylines reflect real and escalating tensions in the Bering Sea crab industry.
The fleet will head west toward Adak Island, a former military base located more than 1,000 miles from Dutch Harbor, in search of a rumored resurgence of red king crab. While the show highlights the danger and drama of the chase, the underlying theme focuses on economic pressures and biological uncertainties.
Alaska’s red king crab fishery in Bristol Bay, once one of the most valuable in the region, has been closed since the 2021–2022 season due to low stock assessments(https://www.nationalfisherman.com/red-king-crab-fishery-to-reopen-despite-uncertainty). According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), surveys indicate that the biomass of mature female crabs in Bristol Bay remains below the regulatory threshold required for reopening. Limited harvesting opportunities are available in the Western Aleutians near Adak, though landings are modest and access is tightly controlled