Norwegian King Crab

Paralithodes camtschaticus

Red King Crab, native to the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska, were introduced to the Barents Sea in the 1950/60s by Russians into the Murmansk Fjord. Here the crab have thrived and have steadily made their way west into Norwegian waters.  

Following the crab’s cross-border move, native seafloor species have rapidly declined. The crabs are continuing to expand their territory, and could soon arrive in the Lofoten Islands, one of the world’s largest seasonal cod fisheries. The crab not only gets tangled in fishing nets and gear but also “[The crabs] could even change the oxygen conditions on the seafloor since they nip out the animals that dig up and turn over the sediment,” says Haakon Hop, a marine biologist at the Norwegian Polar Institute. A reduction in oxygen, known as hypoxia, can further trigger species die-offs in the marine ecosystem.
These crabs are very adaptable. In fact, scientists have found that these crabs can live in waters as warm as 18C (64F), which means they could conceivably survive in the Mediterranean Sea.In fact, there is already an “eradication” fishery established west of North Cape, about 100 miles from Bugøynes: anyone with a boat here is allowed to harvest king crab. The aim is to prevent the crabs from disrupting another lucrative industry: cod, which gather in abundance at the nearby Lofoten Islands. But around Varangerfjord, where crab density is extremely high, total eradication probably isn’t feasible. 

Community

Our Norwegian King Crab is landed in Bugøynes, Norway, 310 miles north of the Arctic Circle on the coast of Varangerfjord.  With a population of less than 300 people, the community is now dependent on the king crab fishery for their livelihood. These fishermen, and residents of this remote coastal community, who were once dependent on cod and haddock, are now dependent on the invasive species that is partially responsible for their traditional fisheries decline.
The fishermen of Varangerfjord place pots 11-months out of the year, with their peak season running from June through to the end of March. How many crabs they can catch is regulated by a quota set by the government each year. Every few days, fishermen check herring- and mackerel-baited pots that can trap up to 50 large crabs at a time before returning  to shore to sell their catch.
Each small boat can land two or three tonnes of crab in two or three weeks maximum.

Physical Attributes

The name Red King Crab is more for the color of the crab once cooked rather than the color of the crab while alive.

They have 5 pairs of legs and the right claw is usually larger than the left.

Males grow larger than the females and their sex is determined by examining their abdomens. Male red king crabs have a narrow abdominal flap whereas female red king crabs have a wide abdominal flap that covers most of the underside of the abdomen.

Juvenile crabs usually molt several times per year while adult males will often skip a molt and keep the same carapace for 2 to 3 years.  Females need to molt in order to mate. Red King Crab thrive in temperatures in the 4-6C (39.2-42.8F) range.

The Red King Crab has earned its spot on the top of the marine food chain as it crawls along the seafloor feasting on starfish, worms, sea cucumbers, molluscs and fish. These crabs have no real natural predators in the Barents Sea. Here, humans are its top predator. In their original waters, Red King Crab are prey to Pacific halibut, giant Pacific octopus, Pacific cod, sea otters and other crab.

Female crabs will lay between 45,000 and 500,000 eggs each year. The female clutches her eggs under her wide tail flap for approximately one year before hatching. Once the embryos begin to hatch, they will start to swim on their own in the form of larvae. King crab spends two to three months in larval stages, in which they are very vulnerable to being swept away by the current or tide. The ones that do survive feed off of the animal and plant plankton for the next several months.

Sizes available - generally 2.5 to 3.5 kg (5.5-7.75 lbs)

Traceability 

Caught by small artisanal fishermen (and women!) working in the Barents Sea. Each crab catch is tagged and traced specifically to each boat and fisherman who landed the crab.

Most boat owners are part-time crab fishermen. During the rest of the time they are fishing or tour operators, painters, business owners, mechanics, musicians and more. The community of Bugoynes is very small and tight knit with a population of less than 300 people.

Each crab comes with a code with a unique identification number. By scanning the code, the chef or end-user can find detailed landing captain and vessel information.