The Invention That Changed Their Lives

With the high rate of fatalities and injuries, brought about the invention of a better system of catching the crabs in 2006. The catch-snare system was introduced by the North Pacific Fishery Management Council and Alaska. The snare was seven years in the making and has greatly improved the safety and profit of fishermen.

It’s Raining Crabs, Hallelujah!

Crew members now can leave traps in the water for longer periods of time. This allows crabs to grow in size, making for a larger catch when its time to collect the crabs. This means that the with lesser effort expended, the profits have increased. 

Changing Direction

The boats are also now fewer, bigger, and safer, which has considerably brought down the rate of fatalities while raising profits. The standardized and specialized vessels are made for crab fishing specifically. Fishermen have been greatly reaping the benefits of these changes, with many making six figures a year!

‘Wild’ Bill Wichrowski

Net Worth: $3 million

Retired sailor Bill Wirchrowski was in the Navy for 4 years before he was discharged in 1979. After his service, he pursued commercial fishing full time until his retirement in 2005. This retirement lasted for only a brief period as he was convinced by the producers to be on the show in 2010. He is now the captain of the Cape Caution. 

 Sigurd Jonny ‘Sig’ Hansen

Net Worth: $3 million

Sig Hansen took a liking to fishing when he was just 14 years old! Ten years later at 24, he became the captain of The Northwestern, which he still mans to this day. He is still the spritely captain at 51 as he was at 24!

Jonathan Hillstrand

Net Worth: $2.2 million

Jonathan knew that fishing was his calling in life when he started it at the age of 7. After he graduated, he pursued his passion for fishing and became a full-time fisherman. He is now the captain of the Time Bandit.