No, it’s not Bill Gates. Nor are they the diamond traders of South Africa or the oil tycoons of Saudi Arabia. The highest paid job in the world is crabbing in Alaska. The icy waters off the Alaskan coast are home to a veritable gold mine for fishing, and Alaskan crabbing has been aptly named the last great gold rush on earth.
Crab fishing is the most important of Alaska’s commercial seafood industries. Alaskan waters, particularly the Bering Sea, Bristol Bay, Dutch Harbor, and the Kodiak and Aleutian Islands are home to a large number of crabs: tanner, Dungeness, and the famous Alaskan king crab.
The different varieties of Alaskan crabs have immense commercial value and the Alaskan king crab in particular is a prized dish in the culinary world, valued as highly as caviar or vintage French wine. American and Japanese restaurants are the largest importers of Alaskan king crab in the world.
An idea of the valuation of Alaskan crabbing can be gleaned from the fact that an experienced angler can expect to reap US$50,000 worth of catch in an eight-week period.
Alaska’s commercial crabbing industry began in 1950. Results were promising from the start, and the region quickly attracted hundreds of American fishing boats. The 1980s were the days of crabbing in Alaska. During this king crab boom period, fishing boat captains regularly earned US$150,000 in a season and crabbing boats boasted saunas, stereos and microwaves.
But in 1983, the Alaskan king crab industry collapsed for no apparent reason. The worst drop in the history of fishing, forced fishermen to look for alternative fishing sources. Thus, the commercial fishing of Alaska extended to salmon and halibut or to bairdi and opilio, two types of tanner crabs.
Since then, the Alaskan crab trade has improved somewhat with 2001 bringing in 23.2 million pounds of catch valued at US$36 million. But crabbing in Alaska still commands the highest pay package in the world.
But this is only the positive side of the job. Crawfishing in Alaska is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. To fish for crabs in the frigid waters of the Arctic Ocean in sub-zero temperatures, with waves hitting the deck and shaking the fishing boat treacherously and icy winds howling continually, you need a strong heart and a capable body. Also, your job will be to dodge huge crab pots and line rolls along the slippery deck.
Each and every muscle and tendon in the body is stretched to the max and exhaustion to the breaking point is common. Crippled limbs, crushed fingers and ribs, broken legs are the staple in the grueling 8-9 pm daily schedule, while men falling overboard are also not uncommon incidents. In fact, every year there are some losses in these fishing trips.
However, despite all the difficulties, there is no shortage of men seeking employment in this fishing trade. Crawfishing in Alaska is still a halo-for-landing job.