Alaska Snow Crab Season Canceled After One Billion Crabs Disappeared

An investigation has been launched into the disappearance of more than one billion snow crabs.

Welp, looks like snow crabs might not make it to menus after one billion of them have somehow disappeared. For the first time in history, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has canceled the winter snow crab season due to a lack of product.

But, scientists say beyond the issue of not being able to eat the beloved food dish, they are pointing out concerns about the health of the Arctic ecosystem, CBS News reports. The disappearance marks a 90 percent drop in their population, the news outlet reports.

“Disease is one possibility,” said Ben Daly, a researcher with ADF&G, in an interview with CBS News. He’s investigating the whereabouts of the crabs, highlighting climate change as a possible factor.

“Environmental conditions are changing rapidly,” Daly said, CBS News reports. “We’ve seen warm conditions in the Bering Sea the last couple of years, and we’re seeing a response in a cold adapted species, so it’s pretty obvious this is connected. It is a canary in a coal mine for other species that need cold water.”