‘Deadliest Catch’: Will There Be a Season 20?
For nearly two decades, Discovery Channel’s reality series Deadliest Catch has offered TV viewers an inside look at the rough-and-tumble world of commercial fishing. The show, which follows fishermen as they hunt the Bering Sea for crab and other seafood, last aired new episodes in September 2023. Now, fans are wondering if and when it might return with new episodes. Here’s what we know so far about Deadliest Catch Season 20.
Is ‘Deadliest Catch’ Season 20 coming to Discovery Channel?
The bad news is that Discovery Channel has not yet announced if Deadliest Catch will return for season 20. However, there are some clues that new episodes are in the works.
In October 2023, about one month after the Deadliest Catch Season 19 finale, Captain Rick Shelford took to social media to tease the show’s next season.
“Season 20 of Deadliest Catch here we come!!! Get ready for an EPIC season to come!!!” wrote the F/V Aleutian Lady captain on Instagram.
Deadliest Catch producer Todd Stanley has also shared some behind-the-scenes updates on the show on his YouTube channel, including clips of the crew shooting scenes for season 20. In one, the F/V Wizard can be seen in the distance, seemingly confirming the return of that vessel and Captain Keith Colburn to the show.
While there’s no confirmed premiere date for Deadliest Catch Season 20, new seasons of the show typically premiere between late March and mid-April.
Alaska cancels snow crab season again
In recent seasons of Deadliest Catch, viewers have seen the effect dramatic changes in seafood populations in the Bering Sea have had on commercial fishermen. Ahead of season 19, Alaska put a halt to fishing both snow crab and red king crab due to steep population declines. (The red king crab harvest was also canceled for the 2021-22 fishing season.)
In October 2023, the state announced that the snow crab season would also be canceled for 2023-24. But in a bit of good news for fishermen, Alaska reopened the red king harvest after two years of closures, the AP reported.
The closures of the fisheries have been a major financial strain for fishermen. They also created challenges for Deadliest Catch. In season 19, the show shifted to focus on fishing for golden king crab, bairdi, and cod.
For people who make a living in fishing and associated industries, times are tough, former Deadliest Catch cast member Casey McManus told Seattle’s KING 5 News in October 2023.
“You’re always gonna see highs and lows as a commercial fisherman,” McManus said. “Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad, feast or famine. But lately, the highs are a lot lower and the lows are even lower than that. Turns out rock bottom has a basement.”
How to watch old episodes of ‘Deadliest Catch’
As fans wait for news about the return of Deadliest Catch, they can keep themselves busy by revisiting past seasons of the reality series. Most episodes are available to stream on both discovery+ and Max. Seasons 3 and 4 are also streaming on Hulu. Past seasons are also available for purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.
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