Russian Far East fishing company's newest seiners to commence operations

The V.I. Lenin Fishing Collective Farm based in Russia's Far East has begun operational sailings of two new compact seine netters in a series.

Like earlier sisters Sokoch and Apaha, Karaga and Karymai were built by local shipyard Torsiotest to a design developed by naval architecture firm Forss Technology in compliance with Russian Maritime Register Shipping requirements.

The Project 04130 series of seiners are designed to catch fish in raw form with processing only to be done subsequently at onshore factories. Karaga and Karymai are the series' third and fourth vessels, respectively.

Because there is no need for onboard processing facilities, the vessels can be built to be as small as possible and with shallow draughts to permit access to a wider range of deep-sea and near-shore areas. However, space is still available on each boat for accommodation for eight crewmembers and a 90-cubic-metre fishroom.

The design ensures safe operation in temperatures of 20 degrees Celsius at 60 per cent humidity during the summer and –20 degrees Celsius at 85 per cent humidity during the winter. Navigation is possible in fine-broken rarefied ice up to 0.5-metre thick in non-Arctic seas.

Karaga and Karymai will be deployed in the Sea of Okhotsk and other far east waters to catch various species such as Pacific cod, pollock, and flounder.