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Crabbing beneath the Bering Sea Ice in Nome, Alaska | INDIE ALASKA

A man in winter clothes pulls a crab pot from the Bering Sea.
Phillip Pryzmont pulls a crab pot from the Bering Sea in March 2022. Photo by Valerie Kern.

Phillip Pryzmont hasn't been to a city in over 4 years. He spends his winters in Nome, Alaska cutting holes in the thick ice in the Norton Sound on the Bering Sea. Each of these holes contains a large crab pot that he regularly checks for Alaska Red King Crab to feed his family and sell to others.

Video and story by Valerie Kern

Music by Universal Production Music

INDIE ALASKA is an original video series produced by Alaska Public Media in partnership with PBS Digital Studios. The videos capture the diverse and colorful lifestyles of everyday Alaskans at work and at play. Together, these stories present a fresh and authentic look at living in Alaska.

Valerie Lake worked at Alaska Public Media from 2017 to 2025. She was the managing producer for Indie Alaska, director for Alaska Insight, and led the video production team. Valerie Lake has previously gone by the names, Valerie Lloyd and Valerie Kern.