Buddhika Weerasinghe: Snow Crabs Season Starts in Japan

A woman sorts red coloured snow crabs during a crab auction at Kasumi port on November 6, 2011 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The snow crab is found in the deepest and coldest waters in the Sea of Japan. Each year snow crabs are caught from November through to March, with the current season starting today. The largest male crab, weighing about 1.4 kilograms, fetched 24,000 Japanese yen (306.7 USD) during the first day of the auction today. The day's total weight of male and female crabs was about 5,337 kilograms, worth some 7,640,000 Japanese yen (97,664.4 USD). (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

©Buddhika Weerasinghe

A woman looks red coloured snow crabs during a crab auction at Kasumi port on November 6, 2011 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The snow crab is found in the deepest and coldest waters in the Sea of Japan. Each year snow crabs are caught from November through to March, with the current season starting today. The largest male crab, weighing about 1.4 kilograms, fetched 24,000 Japanese yen (306.7 USD) during the first day of the auction today. The day's total weight of male and female crabs was about 5,337 kilograms, worth some 7,640,000 Japanese yen (97,664.4 USD). (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Wholesale crab buyers line up to purchase red coloured female snow crabs during the crab auction at Kasumi port on November 6, 2011 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The snow crab is found in the deepest and coldest waters in the Sea of Japan. Each year snow crabs are caught from November through to March, with the current season starting today. The largest male crab, weighing about 1.4 kilograms, fetched 24,000 Japanese yen (306.7 USD) during the first day of the auction today. The day's total weight of male and female crabs was about 5,337 kilograms, worth some 7,640,000 Japanese yen (97,664.4 USD). (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

A fisherman carries a container of red coloured snow crabs from a vessel during a crab auction at Kasumi port on November 6, 2011 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The snow crab is found in the deepest and coldest waters in the Sea of Japan. Each year snow crabs are caught from November through to March, with the current season starting today. The largest male crab, weighing about 1.4 kilograms, fetched 24,000 Japanese yen (306.7 USD) during the first day of the auction today. The day's total weight of male and female crabs was about 5,337 kilograms, worth some 7,640,000 Japanese yen (97,664.4 USD). (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

A woman sorts red coloured snow crabs in the boxs during a crab auction at Kasumi port on November 6, 2011 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The snow crab is found in the deepest and coldest waters in the Sea of Japan. Each year snow crabs are caught from November through to March, with the current season starting today. The largest male crab, weighing about 1.4 kilograms, fetched 24,000 Japanese yen (306.7 USD) during the first day of the auction today. The day's total weight of male and female crabs was about 5,337 kilograms, worth some 7,640,000 Japanese yen (97,664.4 USD). (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

A woman carries a container of red coloured snow crabs from a vessel during a crab auction at Kasumi port on November 6, 2011 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The snow crab is found in the deepest and coldest waters in the Sea of Japan. Each year snow crabs are caught from November through to March, with the current season starting today. The largest male crab, weighing about 1.4 kilograms, fetched 24,000 Japanese yen (306.7 USD) during the first day of the auction today. The day's total weight of male and female crabs was about 5,337 kilograms, worth some 7,640,000 Japanese yen (97,664.4 USD). (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Fishermen sort red coloured snow crabs on a vessel during a crab auction at Kasumi port on November 6, 2011 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The snow crab is found in the deepest and coldest waters in the Sea of Japan. Each year snow crabs are caught from November through to March, with the current season starting today. The largest male crab, weighing about 1.4 kilograms, fetched 24,000 Japanese yen (306.7 USD) during the first day of the auction today. The day's total weight of male and female crabs was about 5,337 kilograms, worth some 7,640,000 Japanese yen (97,664.4 USD). (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

A vessel containing red coloured snow crabs enters Kasumi port on November 6, 2011 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The snow crab is found in the deepest and coldest waters in the Sea of Japan. Each year snow crabs are caught from November through to March, with the current season starting today. The largest male crab, weighing about 1.4 kilograms, fetched 24,000 Japanese yen (306.7 USD) during the first day of the auction today. The day's total weight of male and female crabs was about 5,337 kilograms, worth some 7,640,000 Japanese yen (97,664.4 USD). (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)

Red coloured snow crabs during a crab auction at Kasumi port on November 6, 2011 in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan. The snow crab is found in the deepest and coldest waters in the Sea of Japan. Each year snow crabs are caught from November through to March, with the current season starting today. The largest male crab, weighing about 1.4 kilograms, fetched 24,000 Japanese yen (306.7 USD) during the first day of the auction today. The day's total weight of male and female crabs was about 5,337 kilograms, worth some 7,640,000 Japanese yen (97,664.4 USD). (Photo by Buddhika Weerasinghe)