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| Synopsis: Forty foot waves. Eighty
mile-per-hour winds. Eight-hundred-pound crab pots slamming against the
deck. A nearly 100% injury rate. But with a bounty big enough to drive
mere mortals to this treacherous work year after year. It's the world's
deadliest job - where a man could die every week - the most macho of manly
occupations. 'Deadliest Catch' features the wild and treacherous life of the Alaskan crab fisherman. Deep in the frigid waters of the Bering Sea lurks one of the most sought after prizes in the world, the highly coveted and lucrative Alaska King Crab. Each year, a fleet of 250+ boats spreads out across the sea, awaiting the official harvesting season. It could be four days in length or as many as 12. Yet these rogue fishermen won't know until the voice of the Alaskan Fish and Wildlife Authority crackles across their radios to announce the beginning and end of the race. This uncertainty results in crew members pulling 20-hour shifts in sub-zero weather, exposed to the harsh elements on an icy deck pitching to and fro. The harried and exhausted crew pursues only one purpose: catching as many King Crabs as possible before the season ends. Why do men risk life and limb every season? Perhaps it's because crab fishing in the Bering Strait is thought to be one of the last great gold rushes on earth. In a good year, an experienced deck hand working a short eight-week period can bring home almost $50,000. But the potential to make big money fast brings with it an all too often tragic consequence: crushed fingers, crippled hands, cracked ribs, broken feet and even man overboard. Those are on-the-job hazards where death is more common than in any other occupation in the world. 'Deadliest Catch' will document the end of an era - what veteran crab fishermen are calling "The Last Rodeo." Because many believe this race against the clock contributes to the high injury and mortality rate, the frenzied world of crab fishing as it has always been done will soon change forever. After this year, Alaskan authorities will eliminate the traditional time element from crab fishing. A simple, slowed down seasonal quota system will go into effect and the ticking clock of crab fishing will be silenced. 'Deadliest Catch' takes viewers on one last voyage during the final perilously abbreviated seasons: King Crab season in October and Opilio Crab season in January. The Cast: Production Credits: 'Deadliest Catch' is produced for Discovery Channel by Original Productions. Thom Beers is executive producer. For Discovery Channel, David McKillop is executive producer. The Episodes: 1-1 Episode One--04/12/2005 |
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