The Russian Crab Company reports that in the first half of this year, it has caught 57% of this year quotas with landings of 7400 tonnes by its fleet between January and June.
Almost all quotas have been accounted for in the Western Bering Sea and Karaginskaya subzones, where the company’s fleet targets blue king crab, opilio crab and bairdi crab. In the Northern Sea of Okhotsk and Western Kamchatka subzones, the company’s entire quotas of red and blue king crabs have been caught.
The company continues to strengthen its presence on the live and cooked and frozen products markets.
Sales have increased 35% compared to the same period in 2020, and Russian Crab has established itself as the leading Russian crab supplier to China, as it also develops new markets. The first crab delivery to Spain was made this year and negotiations with importers in other territories are in progress.
Construction is underway of the new company fleet under the government investment quotas initiative, with six vessels currently in build.
The Onezhsky Shipyard has just laid down fourth in a series of seven Damen-designed vivier crabbers for Russian Crab. These vivier crabbers have a 57.70 metre overall length with a 12.60 metre beam and capacity for 120 tonnes of crab in their 640 cubic metre vivier systems.
The crabbers will be powered by 1620kW main engines, will carry 20-24 crew each and are designed for a 40-day endurance.
A further three processor crabbers for Russian crab are being built at the Okskaya Shipyard, with on board factory decks for handling, cooking and freezing crab products.
