ShipSpotting.com Forum
Shipspotters all over the world => Site related news, functions and modules => Topic started by: dirk septer on June 08, 2018, 02:28:31 PM
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http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2864850
fish processor/fish factory vessels, like this 80-year old Independence have no category and possibly should have one.
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At present, these vessels are generally in "Fishing Research and Support Vessels" or, as you have done, "Reefers supporting fishing vessels" For several reasons both these categories are already rather mixtures, and I agree that we need clearer places for the variety of non-catching vessels which support fishing activity in one form or another. That, however, may not necessarily involve additional categories, but perhaps just re-definition and grouping of ship types.
There are various types:
- fish processing ships (including non-catching fish factory ships)
- vessels supporting fish-farming/aquaculture
- fishery research vessels
- reefers for transporting fish
and maybe others (excluding fishery protection/supervision vessels, which are in Law Enforcement)
Members' views are welcome.
David
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I've always felt that the existence of the "Reefers supporting fishing vessels" is kind of a silly category, as in the modern era, a significant portion of the vessels with that job description are just standard reefer vessels with no designed connection to fishing, only a contract to support the industry for a short or long term.
Instead, it seems to me that the category would be better served by relocating any "typical" reefers to the normal reefer categories, and re-establishing it as a "Fish Factory Vessels and Tenders" or "Fishing Tenders and Motherships" category, which would encompass two relatively prevalent varieties of vessel:
1. Fish Factories: Specially-designed or modified vessels intended to serve as a "mothership," receiving fish from catcher vessels, processing it for long-term storage, and either transferring the processed fish to reefer vessels, or keeping it in a dedicated hold until returning to port. (Not to be confused with "catcher-processers," vessels that process the fish they catch, which are best left in the standard catcher categories.)
Example: OCEAN PHOENIX (http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2139124)
2. Fishing Tenders: Vessels with no catch gear of their own, but working solely in support of fishery operations through a combination of delivering supplies to catcher vessels and factory ships, and ferrying fish between any combination of catcher vessels, factory ships, and shore-based processing plants. In some cases, these vessels may also carry their own small-scale processing gear.
Example: DOROTHEA (http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2657173)
I feel that such a rearrangement would easily cover at least 95% of the non-catcher vessels currently found within the site's fishing categories in a much more straightforward and clear organization. Relocating any remaining fisheries research or patrol vessels to the respective Survey and Law Enforcement categories, and any small utility boats to the Workboat category would likely account for a significant portion of the remainder.
Kind Regards,
Kyle