Top Queen Crab Fishing Countries

The queen crab, also known as the snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio), is a cold-water crustacean prized for its sweet, delicate meat and is a major target of commercial fisheries in the Northern Hemisphere. The leading queen crab fishing countries are Russia, Canada, the United States (primarily Alaska), and Japan. Russia and Canada are the top producers, with vast fisheries in the Barents Sea and off the Atlantic coast of Canada, respectively. The U.S. harvests queen crab mainly in the Bering Sea, where strict regulations and quota systems are in place to ensure sustainability. Japan also participates in the fishery, though on a smaller scale, focusing mainly on the Sea of Japan. The queen crab industry is economically significant, supporting coastal communities and generating substantial export revenues, particularly to Asian markets where demand for crab is high.

Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.