Lithodes maja is a species of king crab which occurs in the colder waters of Europe and North America. It is found along entire coast of Norway, the northern half of the British Isles, and around the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Svalbard and off south-eastern Greenland. In Canada, it is found from Newfoundland southwards. The low rate of egg production by this species, in comparison to species fished in the North Pacific, limits its abundance, making it unsuitable for commercial exploitation.