Being a crab fisherman on Deadliest Catch is undoubtedly a dangerous gig, but sometimes it can come with a nice reward. Over the years, various stars of the show have dished on how much they make in their careers as fishermen.
“It varies year to year,” Kenny Ripka told People in 2016. “We don’t get paid a wage or a salary. We get paid on what we catch and what we deliver.”
He specified that he’s had years where he’s made “upwards of $150,000 to $170,000 a year” as a captain, adding that deckhands can usually make “anywhere from $15,000 to $50,000 for a couple months of work” on a boat. Gary Ripka weighed in to reveal that in 2016, his deckhands made $30,000 for “five, six weeks” of fishing work.
Jake Anderson shared his own salary details in a 2018 interview with Fox Business, revealing that he “grossed $2.5 million in 11 days” during a good season. Josh Harris said that captains can make $2 million in just two days if the catch is good.
While raking in profits in the millions is rare, captains are likely to make hundreds of thousands in a good season. Plus, the stars of Deadliest Catch are also paid to appear on the show. The captains earn between $25,000 and $50,000 per episode, according to Monsters & Critics.
Of course, these salaries don’t come without risk. Crab fishing is a dangerous job, and several Deadliest Catch stars have suffered health and medical issues while out at sea. Plus, it’s not always a reliable industry.
“We’ve had king crab season shut down for three, sometimes four years in a row,” Sig Hansen told Channel Guide. “And when your income relies on getting that boat out there, there is no retirement plan, so to speak. You don’t know from one year to the next if you’re even going to go fishing to make a living.”
Deadliest Catch, Season 21 Premiere, Friday, August 1, 8/7c, Discovery
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