Deadliest Catch: Season 16 - A New Cold War
Season 16 of the documentary series Deadliest Catch chronicles the high-sea adventures of Alaskan crab fishermen operating out of the Aleutian Islands. This season introduces a significant narrative shift as a dramatic change within the Russian crab industry impacts global markets. These economic fluctuations drive new competition between the Dutch Harbor captains and their Russian adversaries. For the first time in
Season 16 Lore Primer
Key plot threads, lore context, and character stakes you need to remember before diving into this season.
- The series documents the lives of crab fishermen working in the Bering Sea during the Alaskan king crab and snow crab fishing seasons.
- The Dutch Harbor fleet operates out of the Aleutian Islands, facing extreme environmental hazards such as freezing temperatures and massive waves.
- Crews are tasked with the physical labor of managing 700-pound crab pots while racing to meet their established fishing quotas.
- The profession is characterized by high-stakes conditions where fishermen frequently confront the reality of their own mortality.
Season overview
Season 16 of the documentary series Deadliest Catch chronicles the high-sea adventures of Alaskan crab fishermen operating out of the Aleutian Islands. This season introduces a significant narrative shift as a dramatic change within the Russian crab industry impacts global markets. These economic fluctuations drive new competition between the Dutch Harbor captains and their Russian adversaries. For the first time in the history of the series, the Alaskan crab fleet faces off against their biggest rival, the Russians, in the Bering Sea. The crews continue to navigate the inherent dangers of their profession, including forty-foot waves, freezing temperatures, and the physical demands of handling 700-pound crab pots. As modern-day prospectors, the captains and their deckhands must race to meet their fishing quotas while ensuring the safety of their vessels and crews. The season captures the ongoing struggle against the elements and the high-stakes environment of the Alaskan king crab and snow crab fishing seasons, documenting the real-life experiences of those working in what is described as the most deadly profession in the world.
Episode Guide
Season 16 Progress Shield
Cold War Rivals
Apr 14, 2020 · 88 min
A dramatic change in the Russian crab industry rocks global markets and drives new competition between Dutch Harbor captains and their Russian adversaries. As crab prices skyrocket
Typhoon Hagibis
Apr 21, 2020 · 44 min
Just as the fleet begins its race to beat the Russians, ferocious typhoon Hagibis turns its deadly gaze on the Bering Sea. Captains must choose whether to risk life and limb for a
Breaking Point
Apr 28, 2020 · 44 min
Still reeling from deadly typhoon Hagibis, the fleet claws its way back into competition against the Russians. The pressure to make up ground has mounted and it's do-or-die for the
Shotguns and Fist Fights
May 5, 2020 · 44 min
With the Russian menace looming, co-captains Johnathan and Jake blast a shotgun at their problems while a vicious fist fight breaks out on the Seabrooke. Meanwhile, Wild Bill blows
Double Agent
May 12, 2020 · 44 min
The Cornelia Marie uses US satellites to spy on the Russians, Scott pioneers a dormant fishery and Wild Bill faces off with a Russian greenhorn.
The Bleeding Edge
May 19, 2020 · 43 min
Johnathan finds himself going under the knife at sea as King season comes to an end. Junior chases the elusive Golden King and Wild Bill faces off with a greenhorn.
Into The Red
May 26, 2020 · 44 min
Junior risks crossing into Russian waters to tank golden crab. Co-captains Jake and Johnathan attempt an alliance with longtime rival Keith Colburn. Josh Harris bets his season on
Mayday Mayday
Jun 2, 2020 · 87 min
The Coast Guard responds to a mayday call as captains and crew brace for the loss of friends during a brutal winter storm. Sig and Monte track an opilio hoard at the Russian line,
Cold War Heating Up
Jun 9, 2020 · 43 min
As the crab biomass migrates across the Russian line, Josh and Casey dump 175 pots on the border. Sig and Mandy go dark ship in towering seas. Jake's new deckhand gets injured whil
Harms Way
Jun 16, 2020 · 44 min
Facing a 500-mile wide Siberian storm, Josh takes a big risk to keep the Cornelia Marie crew safe. Junior loses control of his rudders putting his boat at the mercy of heavy seas.
Chase Boat Rescue
Jun 23, 2020 · 43 min
Listing heavily and taking on water, Junior calls on chase boat rescue for the first time in series history. Wild Bill sends Nick 20 feet off the deck in spite of his fear of heigh
Dutch Harbor Double Cross
Jun 30, 2020 · 43 min
On the Summer Bay there's hell to pay when Bill's backup block goes missing. Cornelia Marie skippers Josh and Casey navigate a tenuous partnership at the Russian line. Weighed down
Bomb Cyclone
Jul 7, 2020 · 44 min
The Wizard catches fire in a violent storm known as a bomb cyclone. Josh and Casey attempt to fish in 30-foot seas, while two rogue waves slam the Southern Wind. Wild Bill grinds h
Bering Sea Crash
Jul 14, 2020 · 44 min
Battling exhaustion, Wild Bill and his crew face the full wrath of the bomb cyclone. A snapped tendon puts the Summer Bay down a man. Josh gambles on crab-rich grounds in a costly
Gut Instinct
Jul 21, 2020 · 43 min
As an injury knocks Sig out of his wheelhouse, Mandy takes the helm to face a disgruntled Northwestern crew.
Bering Sea Wrecking Ball
Jul 28, 2020 · 43 min
Stuffed pots come at a price as Jake scrambles to repair a slack tank before it kills his crab or capsizes the Saga.
Danger Close
Aug 4, 2020 · 43 min
Josh and Casey race to haul pots as engine failure threatens their delivery window. As seawater destroys his hydraulic motors, Junior attempts a risky high seas delivery of three n
Like Father Like Daughter
Aug 18, 2020 · 44 min
Sig and Mandy conspire to get Jake to do their prospecting, but the former deckhand seizes the moment to fill his own tanks. The Wizard crew must break through ice to rush Keith to
Rogue Wave Juggernaut
Aug 25, 2020 · 43 min
A rare weather event churns up rogue waves as supermoon tides collide with a cyclonic snowstorm. Josh and Casey face a 55-foot monster, while Jake risks capsizing to repair his rud
A Problem Like Maria
Sep 1, 2020 · 44 min
As the super snow-moon storm peaks, the Cornelia Marie's deck becomes a gauntlet for Josh and Casey's greenest greenhorn. Ice fog overtakes the fleet as Monte scrambles to stay afl
End of The Beginning
Sep 8, 2020 · 44 min
As the fleet mounts a final Winter season push, sad news rattles the Cornelia Marie wheelhouse. Lady Alaska greenhorn, Gabby, overcomes a painful injury to support her crew. Wild B
Blood Is Thicker Than Water
Sep 15, 2020 · 44 min
Saga loses a veteran deckhand, forcing Jake to steam a greenhorn army to the Russian line. Amid scuttlebutt that ports are closing due to a virus, Josh fights to get home for a reu
Everything Changes
Sep 22, 2020 · 87 min
The Cornelia crew fights to save its gear from sea ice; Jake risks the far north to fill his tanks before his son's birth; amid news of a looming pandemic, Russian boats mysterious