<P> The pot is then brought on board the boat and the crew sorts the king crab . Any crab not meeting the regulation requirements are thrown back . The crabs are stored live in a holding tank until the boat reaches shore, where they are sold . If the weather becomes too cold the live crabs may freeze and burst . If they are left in the tank for too long they will harm and possibly kill each other as they can be cannibalistic . Even the rocking of the boat can cause damage to the crab, so boards are inserted in the holds to prevent excessive side - to - side movement . If a crab dies in the hold for any reason it releases toxins which can kill other crabs . If the crew fails to remove the dead crabs, they can poison the entire tank and ruin the catch . </P> <P> Deckhands are paid a percentage of the profits after the owner's share is taken into account . This can range from nothing to tens of thousands of dollars, depending on the size of the harvest . The so - called' greenhorns' (deckhands in their first season of fishing) are paid a fixed sum of money . </P> <P> Statistically, Alaskan crab fishing remains one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States . In 2006, the Bureau of Labor Statistics ranked commercial fishing as the job occupation with the highest fatality rate with 141.7 per 100,000, almost 75 percent higher than the rate for pilots, flight engineers and loggers, the next most hazardous occupations . However, Alaskan crab fishing specifically is even more dangerous with over 300 fatalities per 100,000 . Over 80% of these deaths are caused by drowning or hypothermia . The fishermen are also susceptible to crippling injuries caused by working with heavy machinery and gear . </P> <P> In 1980, at the peak of the king crab industry, Alaskan fisheries produced 200 million pounds of crab . However, by 1983 the total size of the catch had dropped to less than 10% of this size . Several theories for the precipitous drop in the crab population have been proposed including overfishing, warmer waters, and increased fish predation . The slow harvest forced many fishermen to diversify and catch snow crabs (such as bairdi (tanner) crab and snow crab) or cod . In recent years strict regulations have been enforced in order to responsibly manage the populations and allow them to rebound . The red and blue king crab population has stayed relatively low in almost all areas except Southeast Alaska since 1983, forcing many fishermen to concentrate on the golden king crab . </P>

How do they catch crabs on deadliest catch