Over 10 billion snow crabs have disappeared since 2018 due to warmer seas

The snow crab population in the eastern Bering Sea off Alaska has plummeted by over 90% since 2018, with more than 10 billion crabs disappearing. Researchers believe the 2018 marine heatwave raised the crabs' energy requirements and caused mass starvation. Warmer waters also made the crabs more susceptible to disease. Although there have been slight population increases in 2022 and 2023, it will take years of cooler conditions for the snow crab population to recover to pre-2018 levels. The crash has had significant economic implications for Alaskan communities, as the fishery once generated about $150m annually.