Fisherman Nets Rare Blue-Colored Red King Crab in Alaska [VIDEO]

A rare blue-colored red king crab was pulled from the deep waters of Norton Sound, Alaska.

Native to the Bering Sea, the red king crab (paralithodes camtschaticus) is a species of king crab that is heavily targeted by fisheries. Though they are difficult to catch, they are one of the most preferred crabs for consumption purposes. The male red kings grow larger than females and their sex is determined by examining their abdomens. They grow very large and the shell covering their back spans up to 11 inches.

Commercial crabber Frank McFarland caught the blue-colored red king crab early this month. The crab was found in his pot that is set down from his boat The Nome Nugget. This rare red king crab is currently housed at the Norton Sound Seafood Center in a 350 gallon tank, according to Sun Hearld.

The rare crustacean has grabbed the attention of the local population who are arriving in large numbers to capture a picture of the blue red king crab.

After two weeks at the Seafood Center, McFarland collected this rare catch to have it mounted. This was confirmed by an employee of the center.

Scott Kent, with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Nome, is clueless about why the red king crab is blue, but assumes it's just a mutation. A blue crab "turns up once in a blue moon," according to Associated Press.

Kenetsu Mikami, president of Marusan Ocean Foods, said, "I've been dealing with crabs for 25 years, but this is the first time to see that color. It could be a good omen."