King crab is renowned for its rich, succulent taste and soft, tender texture. It's prized by hordes of seafood connoisseurs around the world as a delicacy. Lately, with the popularity of the reality TV show, 'Deadliest Catch' the extreme dangers of crab harvesting have captured the public's imagination. This is one tough job. King crab season lasts a few very short months, and many crab catchers are limited to fleeting windows of time, some as short as four days, in which they can actually try and make a catch. The price for such fine tasting seafood is a high one, but it's quite rewarding. This article takes a look at the art of catching king crab.
King crab fishing is carried out during the winter months off the coast of Alaska and the Aleutian Islands. The commercial harvest is actually done within a very limited time period and from there the catch is shipped all over the world. The most popular king crab season occurs between the months of October and January; in fact, technically, there are several king crab seasons in Alaska, but the largest is the one that takes place in Bristol Bay. Here, fishers target the red king crab variety, which is regarded as the top of them all amongst the three commercially harvested species within the state. The other two species are blue king crab, found in the waters off St. Matthew Island and the Pribilof Islands, and the golden king crab, which is caught off the shores of the Aleutian island chain. There is a fourth variety, the scarlet king crab, but it is too rare and small for commercial fishing. There are strict size requirements; only certain types of crab can be fished during specific periods of the year. Crabbers are imposed stiff quotas, which if violated, mean heavy fines.
During king crab season, fishermen face an extremely difficult task. They have to venture out in dangerous, cold and often turbulent waters; they work 20-hour shifts, and have to contend with flaring tempers, and life threatening situations. Alaskan crab fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. In fact, US Coast Guard rescue squads are stationed near the crab fishing grabs and often have to rescue crabbers who have fallen into the sea due to harsh weather conditions during king crab season.
Crabs are actually caught in 'pots' which look like large cages. These are dropped into the sea one after another in a line covering dozens of miles. Each pot is connected to a colored buoy, which marks the drop off point. As the pots weigh at least 800 pounds, one of the most dangerous aspects of the job is hauling them back in after a period of about 24-48 hours. King crab season is a hectic time for these crabbers, but the payoff is worth it.
Alaska is home to an abundant variety of seafood, and offers some of the purest marine, freshwater, and upland habitats on the planet.
From the clear crystal waters comes seafood that is delicious and healthy. Alaskan seafood is low in fat but big on flavor and Omega-3 oils. You can study thousands of pages of nutritional research. Or, simply observe the amazing health and longevity of people in countries where seafood is the most important part of their diet. Either way, Alaska seafood is as healthy as it is delicious.
Are you are looking for a meal that is low in saturated fat, filled with nutrients and packed with good heart healthy Omega-3s oils? Then you should start with Alaska Seafood.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Allie_Moxley
No comments:
Post a Comment