The first Chinese female Arctic crab fisher, Liu Yifan, is a 30-year-old from Guizhou province who earns an impressive $18,000 a month working 12-hour shifts on a "prison" ship amidst sub-zero temperatures and racial discrimination. 

Despite the grueling conditions, the South China Morning Post shared that Liu has become an online sensation, praised for her determination and strength.

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How China Got Their First Female Arctic Fisher

Three years ago, Liu left a stable job at a state-owned enterprise to join her husband in Tromsø, Norway. Initially working in a hotel, she soon transitioned to crab fishing through local friends' introductions. 

The job, which requires handling up to 200 tonnes of king crabs in freezing temperatures, starkly contrasted her previous employment. Liu acknowledged the demanding work schedule and harsh conditions but saw the "cool uniforms" and payment as a reward.

Liu's journey has not been without challenges. 

She has faced racial abuse from colleagues, with one night shift manager mockingly referring to her as "China girl" and asking if she ate dog meat. Liu confronted the harassment head-on, ultimately silencing her abuser by throwing a crab at him.

Besides cold weather and harassment, injuries are another part of her tough job; a week into the job, she dislocated a finger but continued working due to the lack of medical facilities on board.

"What could be harder than crab fishing? If you can handle that, you can definitely handle anything else."

After sharing her experiences on Xiaohongshu, China's Instagram, she gained 20,000 followers, many of whom expressed admiration for her bravery. 

However, Liu currently works at a travel agency but plans to return to crab fishing next season.

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