True clawed lobsters (family Homaridae) are not native to or commercially harvested in Alaska’s waters. The North Pacific Ocean and the Bering Sea do not host species commonly associated with the name “lobster,” such as the American or European lobster. While the region is a producer of highly valued shellfish, the crustaceans harvested from Alaska are exclusively various species of crab. The cold, deep-sea habitats instead provide the perfect environment for some of the world’s largest and most sought-after crab populations.
The Absence of True Lobsters in Alaskan Waters
The primary factor precluding true lobsters from inhabiting Alaskan waters is the specific temperature and geographical requirements of the Homarus genus. The American lobster (Homarus americanus) is natively found only in the North Atlantic Ocean, ranging from the Arctic waters down to the Gulf of Mexico. While adults can survive a wide range of temperatures, their reproductive success and larval development are highly sensitive to thermal conditions. Adult American lobsters generally prefer temperatures around \(60^circtext{F}\) and avoid waters colder than \(40^circtext{F}\). The frigid, subarctic conditions of the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska fall outside the optimal range for larvae. The lack of suitable warmer shelf water for larval development and settlement acts as a natural barrier to the establishment of true lobster populations in the region.
Alaska’s Commercially Important Crustaceans
In place of true lobsters, Alaska’s commercial fisheries are dominated by several large, economically significant crab species. These crabs occupy a similar niche in the seafood market and are harvested from the cold, deep waters of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands. The most prominent are the King Crab and the Snow Crab.
Red King Crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) is the largest and most prized species, known for its immense size and sweet, rich meat. The commercial King Crab harvest also includes Blue King Crab (Paralithodes platypus) and Golden King Crab (Lithodes aequispinus), which primarily inhabit the Aleutian Islands. Snow Crab (Chionoecetes opilio) and Tanner Crab (Chionoecetes bairdi) are also commercially harvested, providing a significant portion of the total U.S. crab catch. The quality of these crabs has solidified Alaska’s reputation as a world-leading supplier of high-end shellfish.
Comparing True Lobsters and Alaskan Crabs
True lobsters and Alaskan crabs exhibit distinct anatomical features reflecting their different evolutionary paths within the Decapoda order. Lobsters (family Homaridae) are characterized by a long, cylindrical body and a prominent, muscular tail. They possess a large pair of specialized crushing claws on their first set of legs, with smaller claws also present on the next two pairs.
In contrast, Alaskan King and Snow Crabs have a rounded, flatter body shape and a much shorter, tucked-under abdomen. King crabs are more closely related to hermit crabs, possessing only three pairs of visible walking legs plus a smaller fourth pair and a pair of claws. The meat yield of the lobster is distributed between the tail and the large claws, whereas the vast majority of the meat in Alaskan crabs is concentrated within their long walking legs. From a culinary perspective, lobster meat is often described as buttery and firm, while King Crab meat is known for its sweet, delicate flavor and tender texture.