Have you ever wondered what it takes to have crab meat and shellfish land on your plate? The fishermen take huge risks everyday, braving the weather, tides and every ebb and flow of the ocean. Sitting back at home devouring the meat, one hardly realizes the immense power the ocean has and kind of dreadful situations fishing boats endure to bring back their catch.

Waves and swell can be thought of as echoes of the weather and the movement of the sea that sometimes travel over  thousands of miles.  The wave and swell size can often be predicted based on the wind and weather conditions. However in the case of large oceans the swell could also result from sea movement many thousand of miles away many days before. This brings in a quotient of unpredictability and therefore danger.

The very large boats are most often able to endure the swells, but the smaller boats risk much including financial loss. The small boat owners risk losing money not only because of the inability of their boats to endure the swells, but also because of the change in marine environment caused by it. A strong or heavy swell threatens marine life of their habitats. The swell can completely destroy an entire colony of shellfish by lifting them from the sand and dashing them into the surf. They scatter the crabs and shellfish and cause further trouble for the fishermen.

Despite all the risks, millions of fishermen hold their jobs close to their heart. They venture into the ocean, whatever the tide or the swell, day in and day out. So the next time you bite into a juicy piece of crab meat, send out a mental note of thanks to the folks that risk their lives for your pleasure.