Introduction
King crab is a creature of the sea. King crab is a part of the family of crustaceans. They are a taxon of crab-like creatures found in the cold seas. The name itself justifies how they look, their size is bigger compared to mud crabs or easily found lake crabs; hence the name King crab. The King crab is treated as a food and the most commonly consumed type of King crab is the red King crab. The red crab can become very large, sometimes reaching the size of 11 inches in width and 6ft in the size of their legs. The red King crab is red, with Spikes on its shell with long legs. The most common sea the red king crab is seen in is the Bering Sea around the Kamchatka Peninsula area, between the Aleutian Islands and St. Lawrence Island. It can also be found in the Barents Sea and the European Arctic, where it was intentionally introduced. The blue King crab is seen around the coasts of Japan and Russia.Now we will see why Is King Crab So Expensive? in this article.
Why is King Crab so Expensive?
The cost of any meat depends on various factors such as how easily the breed is available, and how delicious the meat is.It also depends on how much cost is put into growing the breed to keep it healthy for achieving healthy meat. King crab falls into most of the categories making it an expensive breed of seafood. King crabs are exceptionally large, the most common size of crab can easily feed up to a family of 4. The size varies with the age of the crab and how the breeding is done. With it being big, King carbs are also delicious and have a lasting tasting on palettes. The taste of the crab being unique and addictive as some would describe it makes it fit into the box of being an expensive product. The most impacting reason why King crabs are expensive is their breeding factor.
The king crabs have a limited harvesting period. The period of harvesting King crab is of three months maximum making them less available for selling and using them for eateries. With the harvest period being of short duration, the availability of King crabs being in specific areas makes it even more expensive as the cost of catching the crab to transportation will be added to the selling price of the crab. The harvesting grounds of the King crab are a dangerous place. The king crab is harvested in extremely cold climates with freezing temperatures and is found on frozen seas. The risk and danger of the manpower required to find king crab make the meat more valuable.
Where can you buy King Crab?
One can buy king crab at any fish market near to their place. For fresh king crabs one can visit local fish Dock markets or talk previously to their local dealer regarding the fresh batch of king crabs and when they will be sold. You can buy the king crab on online platforms as well. “Northcoastseafood.com” is one of the websites which is available in the whole of the U.S; the king crab is available on the website during the harvest season.
How much does king crab cost?
As mentioned above, King crab falls into the category of an expensive product, the price of king crab will be in the higher range. The price of the crab varies on the size of the crab and the size of the leg. The king crab can be bought as a whole or just the claws and leg. The leg approximately for 1LB is 60$. The entire king crab as a while can be sold at the price of 120$ and more. The best way to enjoy King crab meat is by visiting an authentic seafood restaurant and having a big meal for a reasonable price. One can buy it from the store as well, but only if they have no issues spending a big amount on the crab.
Why is the king crab more expensive in the past few years?
The price for King Crab has gone up in the past few years. This is because the availability of King Crab has reduced drastically. Global warming has changed the ideal climate for breeding these crabs, which has interfered with the breeding of the crabs. With global warming, extensive exploitation of limited King Crab has made it even more difficult to breed a large number of crabs every season hence the price of king crab has raised over the previous couple of years.
Conclusion
The seafood in general being on the expensive side doesn’t stop the public from enjoying the pure delicacy. The King crab is delicious and a treat to have every year for 3 months. The difficulty of acquiring the crab makes the meat even more delicious. The price for the king crab is justified by the factors such as less availability, difficult fishing techniques, limited harvesting grounds, and harvesting period. Saying this, the size itself for the crab is enough to put a price tag of higher ends on the crab. These are one of the bigger Crab and almost the size of a baby lobster. The depletion of the King Crab population is also a warning for all of us that human-made pollution is causing harm to these creatures and they will soon become extinct and our future generations will miss out on a delicacy such as King crabs.
Hence we need to think way into the future and start with pollution control and create a friendly environment for all creatures around and among us.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are king crabs available all around the year?
No, king crabs are seasonal products and are available during the winters.
- Where is the King Crab sold?
The King crabs are sold in the coastal area of the Bering sea.
- Is King Crab small in size?
No, the King crab is known for its big size and long legs.
