Plot Synopsis

It's the deadliest job on earth -- crab fishing on the icy Bering Sea. Fishermen battle Arctic weather, brutal waves, and a ticking clock for a chance at big money in this modern-day gold rush. This unique breed of men set out upon an unforgettable odyssey. Sadly, all of them may not return. Each season of DEADLIEST CATCH features two different crab seasons during a single brutal winter -- fishing vessels bring in King crab starting mid-October and Chionoecetes opilio (a.k.a. snow crab) in January.

After an all-day marathon from 9am-8pm ET/PT, Discovery presented a new one-hour special and then the Season 9 premiere at 9pm ET/PT on Tuesday, April 16, 2013. In the show's ninth season, the seven skippers and their crews are fighting through hell and back again in search of King and Opilio crab. But as the fleet faces off with the raging sea, they are quick to realize, that sometimes the most violent storms can come from within.

On Tuesday, April 22, 2014 from 9-11pm ET/PT, Discovery broadcast the Season 10 premiere of DEADLIEST CATCH. In the first episode, opening season comes and goes as the captains have been grounded by of all things -- politics. For the first time in nearly two decades, a government shutdown brings Washington D.C. to a screeching halt with its far-reaching effects going well beyond the Beltway. Eventually the shutdown ends, but it's just the beginning for the captains. Up against a ticking clock of a shortened season, a late start means greater competition than ever before. With a deadline to offload looming and millions of dollars on the line, the captains must lay down the hammer and fish through treacherous weather. A boat goes up in flames; another runs aground while many more earn record-breaking profits. When the smoke clears, one captain finds himself in rehab and another wakes up in a hospital.

Immediately following an all-day marathon (9am-9pm) of encore episodes, Discovery aired the two-hour Season 11 premiere of DEADLIEST CATCH on Tuesday, April 14, 2015 at 9pm ET/PT. After years of keeping a lid on Bairdi crab quota, new government regulations have increased the inventory by 400%. These changes mean the potential for huge paydays for Captains and crew. On the Northwestern, the Bairdi bump won't just bring profit for the ever-controlling Captain Sig Hansen; it will bring opportunity and a bigger stake in the claim for his brother Edgar. But will Sig loosen the reins on his aging crew? Meanwhile on the Cornelia Marie, Josh Harris is trying to step out of his father's shadow, the late Capt. Phil Harris, and earn the respect of his crew. But first, he needs to get out of the dock since his boat's engine won't start and is forced to wait for critical parts. For Wild Bill of the Cape Caution, this season's about accepting his son for who really he is; on the Time Bandit, Johnathan Hillstrand must overcome his health, family issues and massive boat repair bills to turn his business around with a new group of young guns. On The Wizard, Captain Keith Colburn must re-examine his idea of the ultimate deckhand as he goes through several crewmen. And for Elliott Neese, it's the need to bridge the gap between his dreams of having a family and a successful business.

Season 12 of DEADLIEST CATCH premiered on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 from 9-11pm ET/PT on Discovery, immediately following an all-day marathon (9am-9pm) of encore episodes. This season, DEADLIEST CATCH welcomes a new skipper to town. Just 23-years-old, Sean Dwyer of the Brenna A is the youngest captain ever in the history of DEADLIEST CATCH. Following in the footsteps of his recently-departed father, the young rookie has fished all his life but never as a captain on the Bering Sea. Now he embarks upon the Holy Grail of commercial fishing in a vessel that hasn't fished crab in eight years and manned by an all-rookie crew. Added pressure comes from the fact that his 290,000 lb. quota comes from Sig. Sean isn't the only one feeling the heat. Breaking free of Sig's mentoring grip is Jake Anderson who takes his first full season at the helm of the Saga. Last season, Jake fought to prove his worth as a fisherman, father and captain. Now that he's been given a shot, he needs to prove his worth as a leader. But can he command a crew he also sees as his friends? Meanwhile on the Cornelia Marie, young skipper Josh Harris steps out of the shadows to claim his birthright on the legendary vessel once commanded by his father, the late Captain Phil Harris. The boat has finally gotten an overhaul - complete with new electronics and engine room. But making the boat like new comes with a steep price. To pay for the overhaul, Josh had to sell a majority of the boat to investors meaning if they can't find crab, the investors will find someone else who can. Over on the Cape Caution, a new year brings a new crew for long-time Captain Wild Bill Wichrowski. This season, Wild Bill turns to his son Zach Larson to find and train the boat's crew. But the teaching process hasn't been quite so easy for the teacher or the students. Can Zach prove he's up to the challenge to finally take over the wheel house? Captain Keith Colburn of The Wizard is struggling with life both on and off the deck. Keith hopes for a fresh start this season after recently breaking up with his wife of 25 years and accepting that his kids are all grown up. Millions of dollars-worth of crab on the line, and Keith's crew is ready to go on day one. But before they can leave, they need their captain... who is nowhere to be found. On the Time Bandit, Jonathan Hillstrand and his brother Andy, find themselves in a dicey situation that could not only cost them a quarter million dollars but that could potentially cost them their fishing license. Will Jonathan make the right decision? Or will this force them to call it quits before the season even started? And finally on the Northwestern, salty Captain Sig Hansen makes a bold decision to search for crab on grounds that he hasn't been to in over a decade. Was it the right choice? Or was there good reason why he's avoided it this long? While experience battles youth this season, Mother Nature wages war. The warm waters of El Nino push the crab deeper, making the catch even more elusive. Each boat will have to fight even harder for every crab that comes over the rail. Injuries, breakdowns and chaotic weather plague the fleet, proving once and for all that in the Bering Sea legends can be built... But they also can be broken.

On Tuesday, April 11, 2017 from 9-11pm ET/PT, Discovery Channel the thirteenth season of DEADLIEST CATCH, immediately following an all-day marathon (3am-9pm) of encore episodes. Over the past 12 years, the veteran captains thought they've seen it all. But this year proves to be like no other on record. Generations of fishermen have made a hard living setting out of Dutch Harbor, Alaska, one of the nation's most prolific crabbing ports. However, this year the crabs have seemingly vanished -- igniting a grueling hunt to save the fleet's way of life. After a massive temperature spike in the Bering Sea, traditional fishing hot spots are now coming up empty. And the situation leaves everyone in the fleet -- veterans and greenhorns alike -- wondering what can be done to save the season? In the two-hour season opener, "Uncharted Territory," Captain Sig resumes the helm after a major heart attack, and Wild Bill debuts his own brand new boat in a crisis season. Plus, there's an attempt to rescue a heart attack victim.

Season 14 of DEADLIEST CATCH premiered on Tuesday, April 10, 2018 from 9-11pm ET/PT, Discovery Channel. After several lean seasons, the Alaskan crab fleet are back to claim their part of a massive $120-million-dollar bounty. With the lucrative Bairdi fishery opening back up, adding millions of pounds to the pot, there is a renewed sense of optimism. Big money is on the line, the fishing is more competitive than ever and the captains are going to battle to catch as much of the high-value crab as they can. But as always, the biggest battle they face is against a turbulent Bering Sea in the stormy dead of winter. Before setting sail, the captains will pay tribute and honor their friends and fellow fishermen of the F/V Destination. Last year, the vessel was lost at sea - making a huge impact on this tight-knit community of fisherman and the industry. "It's times like this that remind us just how fragile our lives are. And the dangers that we face. It's times like this that make you go deep," said veteran captain Sig Hansen. After taking last year off, boat owner Josh Harris is back once again to co-captain the Cornelia Marie with Casey McManus. This year, they have 120,000 pounds of King Crab to catch and will need to search for crab fast. But after a year away, does Josh still have what it takes to command a vessel on the Bering Sea? On the 107-foot Saga, Jake Anderson has completely rebuilt the boat with $750,000 worth of updates, and will begin his season floating on an ocean of debt. This year, Jake's goal is to make a name for himself on the crab grounds, paying off the mountain of debt, and to do it all independent of mentor and father-figure, Sig Hansen. Meanwhile, on the legendary Northwestern, Captain Sig Hansen is sick and tired of people telling him how he should live after his near-fatal heart attack. He feels strong and he's ready to do what he does best. But this year, its every man for himself. The seasoned skipper and crew, led by brother Edgar, plan to dominate the seas on their own - fleet be damned. Captain Wild Bill is back with his new boat, the Summer Bay, and faces one problem after another as he struggles to make a profit. He loses a huge chunk of crab quota to a competing captain, and battles one of the worst engine failures of his career. But all of that is quickly put into perspective when a deckhand falls overboard in a violent storm. Captain Sean Dwyer of the Brenna A has every other crabber in his sights this season. With a back-door business deal, he buys up a piece of Wild Bill's quota out from under him, almost doubling his potential payout for the year. But mother nature knocks him down a peg when the young captain is bashed with one of the biggest waves he's ever seen, costing him over $30,000 in damages. And finally, Captain Keith Colburn of the Wizard has his sights set on being the top producer this season, and his goal to out maneuver and out fish rival Sig Hansen. He is no stranger to high risk and high reward, but as the season wears on, a problem develops that could put Keith's season -- and life -- in jeopardy. Forty-foot waves, hurricane force winds, heavy-machinery and massive icebergs are just a few reasons that no season is ever the same. Making matters even worse, the sea is terrifyingly heightened by this year's super moon, a tsunami and some of the worst winter storms on record. And once again, the crew will have their work cut out for them like never before.

The fifteenth season of DEADLIEST CATCH premiered on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 from 8-10pm ET/PT on Discovery Channel. This year, something is different in the air. A new boat blows into town, rumored to know where over a quarter billion dollars-worth of king crabs are located. The rest of the fleet is left on the outside willing to do anything to get in on the score. Complicating matters, massive winter weather comes up and never really goes back down. Storm after storm causes season-ending injuries and more damage to the boats than the captains have seen in years. New to the fleet this season is the cut-throat, no-nonsense Captain Steve "Harley" Davidson with the 148-foot-long Southern Wind. The boat is the second-largest in the fleet behind only Captain Keith Colburn's boat The Wizard. Harley, who has captained the Southern Wind for 15 years, doesn't make friends easily -- including Captain Keith who considers Harley as enemy no. 1. This season, Harley was able to break out ahead of others to look for crab. After scouring the grounds with over 1,200 pots, he believes that a quarter billion dollars-worth of crab are clustered in a single massive horde. If he's right, every captain in the fleet will be on top of him, turning the high-stakes hunt for crab into a close-quarters battleground. On the legendary Northwestern, Captain Sig has been preparing 23-year-old Maritime Academy alumna and daughter, Mandy Hansen, to be his relief skipper. But how will she stack up in a season of competitive close-quarters fishing? After years of hard work, Jake Anderson has whipped the Saga into ship shape and hired a strong crew. Now, with a growing family, he wants to buy into the boat and become a partner, not just an employee. But in order to gain ownership and secure a stable future for his wife and family, Jake must fish fast enough to bring in a quarter million over expenses for the buy in. With massive boat payments due, Captain Wild Bill has his work cut out for him on the F/V Summer Bay. With two untested greenhorns and a furry little dog named Rico, the veteran skipper has a lot to keep his eye on. It's not long before things take an unexpected turn when one of Bill's newbies suddenly disappears at sea. Captain Sean Dwyer of the Brenna A has major ambitions. After his dad passed away 5 years ago, he took the helm and punched through every challenge the Bering Sea could throw at him. Now, he hopes to convince his mother and business partner that what they really need is to buy a second boat. But with Keith and Sig's gear standing in his way, Sean must outfox the veterans or say goodbye to his dream of expanding the family business. All eyes are on captains Josh Harris, Casey McManus and their fabled Cornelia Marie. Last season, Josh gained notoriety by skirting a series of close calls while filling the boat at a breakneck pace. Now, the young skipper must prove that last year's success wasn't a fluke. If he succeeds, he could be entrusted with a million bucks worth of added quota. It's an all-out battle this season as the captains attempt to catch their plunder. But as tensions rise, the temperatures continue to drop. With the weather colder than it has ever been in over half a decade, parts of the Bering Sea are beginning to freeze over along with the boats in it.

Season 16 of DEADLIEST CATCH premiered on Tuesday, April 14, 2020 from 8-10pm ET/PT on Discovery Channel. For the first time ever on DEADLIEST CATCH, the Alaskan crab fleet face off against their biggest rival: the Russians. A competition so fierce, the captains must push into uncharted territory, including one veteran actually going to Russia. This season brings new fishing alliances, former Catch captains returning to the fleet and a global, headline-grabbing winter storm that pounds their crab boats. This year, the Russians are taking an unprecedented move by revamping their crab quota system, and in turn, cutting down on illegal fishing. Now, the price of King Crab is slated to skyrocket, igniting the most cut-throat season yet. The quicker the captains can catch their crab and return to dock, the more money they can make. Everyone is vying for an edge -- luring back some of the fleet's most legendary faces. But just how hard can they push before things get deadly? The season takes a major shake-up for Captain Jake Anderson, at the helm of The Saga. This year, Jake calls in one of his closest friends: Bering Sea legend and Time Bandit Skipper Johnathan Hillstrand, lured out of retirement in hopes of a historic payday. Johnathan brings his crab quota, while his "protege," Jake, provides the boat to catch it. But will this unorthodox approach pay off? Johnathan isn't the only skipper charging back into the fray. Captain Scott Campbell Jr. returns in the hopes for a multimillion-dollar payday. But will life-threatening back injuries prevent him from hitting the jackpot? Meanwhile, Northwestern Captain Sig Hansen is hoping for the most profitable season yet, with big plans for a first-place finish. This year, Sig has a jump start on the competition with his daughter Mandy, 24, at the helm for the first solo trip of her young career, before later joining her at the helm as father, and commander. Will Sig's strategy work? Can Mandy stand up to the pressure? Will they make a solid team? Or will it prove true that you should never mix family with business? Wild Bill Wichrowski also returns as captain of the Summer Bay. This season, Wild Bill hopes to take advantage of the squeeze in supply caused by the new Russian quota system. The quicker to the market, the higher the dollar. The only problem? He's down two crew members after firing them just hours before the season launch. Will he be able to find skilled replacements? Or will new blood on deck knock him out before the race even starts? All eyes are once again on Josh Harris and Casey McManus on the fabled Cornelia Marie. They've funneled a fortune into the storied crabber, hoping the new and improved Cornelia will help them beat the Russian and American competition to the dock. This season, they plan to work their crew even harder, including a new crew member who proves to be their secret weapon: Maria, a 25-year-old Alaskan native who has spent most of her life working on boats. She certainly shows the guys more than a thing or two. Finally, across the fleet, Captain Steve 'Harley' Davidson of the Southern Wind, is digging into his bag of tricks to hopefully outsmart the Russians and his own compatriots. And Wizard Captains Keith and Monty Colburn are back as well with big plans to uncover new crabbing grounds. But will their strategy put them head-on with a powerful arctic storm that's headed straight through the heart of the fishing grounds? The race for the bounty is on. And this year, it's the red versus the red white and blue in an all-out war for crab. Forty-foot waves, hurricane force winds, heavy machinery and massive ice are just a few reasons that no season is ever the same.

The 17th season of THE DEADLIEST CATCH kicked off on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at 8pm ET/PT on Discovery, one month after a special preview of the season opener on Friday, March 19, 2021 on discovery+. In the wake of the global pandemic, half the crab boats of the Bering Sea fleet are tied up in Seattle. Now an existential threat faces the fishermen who make the long-haul trip to Dutch Harbor, Alaska, for the 2021 Crab season -- a potential closure of the entire fishery. Crabbing isn't just a way of life for the captains and their crew. This year, it's a fight for the industry's survival. If they're going to make it work, the fleet will need to make sacrifices and band together across lines -- even with long-sworn enemies. Their livelihood depends on it or they could potentially face the end of their careers. Spearheading their defense is Captain Sig Hansen from the F/V Northwestern -- who proposes a two-pronged plan to save the fishery. First, Sig needs someone who isn't afraid to stick his neck out. And there is only one person that comes to mind -- his good friend and legendary crabber Johnathan Hillstrand. Johnathan would bring a massive operation, as commander of the F/V Time Bandit, and could provide a lifeline to help catch the fleet's towering 5-million-pound fall season quota. But will Johnathan agree to come out of retirement? And leave behind everything and everyone he loves during such difficult times? Sig's second strategy goes against everything the old-time crabbers have ever done before - working together as a pack. It's a huge risk and requires honesty and cooperation from everyone. But can the captains put the good of the fleet ahead of their own interests? Some of them have their doubts. Just days ahead of the season launch, Captain Keith Colburn of the F/V Wizard has his own set of problems. His WW2-era boat is in need of maintenance, and the captain desperately needs a fruitful season to pay for his upcoming shipyard. Enter Captain Scott Campbell Jr. of the F/V Lady Alaska. Scott believes he has secret intel on where to find crab. Scott hatches a plan to share his intel with longtime rival Keith in exchange for quota. However, when he approaches him, things don't go exactly as Scott had hoped. On the F/V Saga, Captain Jake Anderson is back and aiming to secure more quota. But will this young captain be able to pull off a successful season when he's come up empty in the past? Or will F/V Northwestern's reserve captain, Mandy Hansen, enlist Jake in her own plan to tank their combined share of the total crab quota? Also returning this year are Captains Josh Harris and Casey McManus of the F/V Cornelia Marie. This year, they struggled to find a strong crew and must call upon their business partner Jeff Silva from Hawaii to join them. Though Jeff proves that he puts the green in greenhorn shortly after setting sail. Finally, rounding out the fleet this year is Captain Wild Bill and the F/V Summer Bay. His crew has faced incredible loss this past year including the passing of deckhand Mahlon Reyes, who suffered a deadly heart attack at the young age of 38 years old. Bill and his crew honor Mahlon's memory by giving him a proper fisherman's burial at sea before setting off on the new crabbing season. But just as they attempt to leave the dock, crew member Nick McGlashan suddenly falls ill with a fever. Will Bill even be able to leave in time? Or will he be out of the fishing game for good this season as his crew must isolate from each other? Forty-foot waves, government shutdowns, global pandemics and hurricane force winds are just a few reasons that no season is ever the same.

Season 18 of DEADLIEST CATCH premiered on Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at 8pm ET/PT on Discovery Channel. When the Alaskan government announced that they were canceling the red king crab season, all of the captains had to go back to the drawing board to find a new way to be profitable. While most of them decided to seek new species to catch, Captain Sig Hansen from the F/V Northwestern took a giant risk to travel across the world to Norway in search of red king crab. Sig must start from scratch -- converting an old coast guard ship into a fishing vessel, learning where these crabs live in the Barents Sea and finding a reliable team of fishermen -- all while trying to rush home to be there for the birth of his granddaughter in a few weeks. Will Sig's gamble pay off? If you can't catch red king crab, the golden king crab can bring in a big payday -- the only problem is they live four times deeper making trapping them exponentially harder. Two vessels, the F/V Time Bandit captained by Johnathan Hillstrand and the F/V Cornelia Marie captained by Josh Harris and Casey McManus, secured the bid to be able to catch these elusive crabs. Can the golden king crabs be captured? Or will these captains just lose pots and money trying? Captain Jake Anderson of the F/V Saga wants to try his hand at catching black cod, but they currently don't have the quota or tools to fish them. Jake turns to captain Sean Dwyer of the F/V Elinore J to secure black cod quota, but Sean only accepts the deal if Jake offers the pink slip of the F/V Saga as collateral. Jake's crew will need to learn how to catch black cod. If not, he may need to consider giving the F/V Saga away. Instead of catching black cod, Sean Dwyer of the F/V Elinore J has decided to catch Dungeness crab. While they don't bring in as much money, there is no limit on how many his crew can catch. Will they be able to crab enough to make a profit? After suffering the loss of a crewmember on the deck of the F/V Patricia Lee last fishing season, captain Rip Carlton is trying to protect his crew at all costs. His crew is working hard and they are all doing this to honor their friend. Captain Keith Colburn's vessel, the F/V Wizard, still needs some repairs but he is going to set his sights catching bairdi snow crab. Will the F/V Wizard make it through the season?

DEADLIEST CATCH returned for its 19th season on Tuesday, April 18, 2023 from 8-10pm ET/PT on Discovery Channel. As Alaskan Crab prices reach new all-time highs and with over a million pounds of Eastern Bairdi now up for grabs, Bering Sea captains and a wave of newcomers look to earn their share of the sky-rocketing payday. But record seafood prices and tensions with Russia and China fuel illegal fishing by both foreign vessels and domestic rival industries. Now, veteran captains and the next generation of crabbers must overcome differences and band together to defend their grounds and protect one of America's most valuable resources. With over twice the crab to be caught in the Bairdi fishery, a new generation of fisher descends on the grounds eager to launch their careers and make their mark in the Bering Sea. Veteran captains can't rely on their past experience alone, but young captains don't stand a chance without the knowledge of their predecessors. Captain Sig Hansen must look ahead to the future on the F/V Northwestern as he attempts to safeguard his legacy for the next generation with his daughter and co-captain, Mandy Hansen, who takes on a bigger role in the vessel and the family business. Joining Captain Jake Anderson on the F/V Saga is new captain in training, 23-year-old Sophia "Bob" Nielsen. Following the loss of both of her parents, the third generation fisher is determined to gain experience so that she can continue the Nielsen name and take over as captain of her family's 74-foot wooden hull vessel, the F/V Victory. East Coast legend Linda Greenlaw, the only female swordfishing captain and survivor of The Perfect Storm, sets her sights on America's Last Frontier and brings her over forty years of experience to Captain "Wild" Bill Wichrowski's F/V Summer Bay. For the first time since 2016, Andy Hillstrand returns to the helm of the F/V Time Bandit, shoulder to shoulder with brothers Johnathan and Neal, as they tackle the Golden King Crab Fishery. Rookie 28-year-old captain Jack Bunnell takes over the F/V Barbara J, leveraging his family quota to get to the helm, only to find that long-serving skipper Steve "Harley" Davidson will battle with him for seat time and control of the storied crabber. On the F/V Wizard, Captain Keith Colburn is joined by Jacob Hutchins, a deckhand aspiring to become one of the first African American crabbing captains on the Bering Sea. Fourth generation fisherman Rick Shelford joins the fleet with Captain Sean Dwyer on the F/V Aleutian Lady, both eager to build their own empire and create new legacies.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
On Tuesday, June 11, 2024 from 8-10pm ET/PT, Discovery Channel premiered the 20th season of DEADLIEST CATCH. To kick-off this milestone season, the lucrative Red King Crab fishery has finally reopened in Alaska, igniting the first derby-style race in decades. Forced to obtain their crab hauls in a highly competitive timeframe, veteran and rookie captains are thrust into cutthroat rivalries that will push each crabber to their limit. Meanwhile, the crab grounds become more perilous than ever as a rare super El Nino weather pattern intensifies winter storms, serving as a grim reminder to why Alaska crab fishing is known as the Deadliest Catch.