Seattle fishing company Blue North has taken delivery of its new longliner Blue North.
Built by Dakota Creek Industries at Anacortes WA, Blue North is the most sophisticated longliner of its kind in the region and will fish primarily on Alaska cod, and its official christening ceremony is due to be held today.
Blue North measures 58.35 metre LOA, with a 12.80 metre beam and is a Skipsteknisk ST-155l design. Its design incorporates a moonpool and a central hauling chamber. This mens that by-caught fish can be easily released while the crew have a safer and more comfortable working environment.
The company has a Humane Harvest policy with the fish passing through a stunner on their way to the processing area. This technology that has its origins in the salmon industry contributes to reduced stress levels, which in turn pays dividends in terms of both catch quality and higher nutritional values as toxins do not have time to build up as they do when fish are stressed.
Blue North is built with a heavily weighted box keel design and has an anti-roll tank to provide a highly stable working platform. It also has diesel-electric propulsion, with twin propeller dual-azimuth propulsion systems, as well as being one of the first vessels in the US fishing fleet to meet the latest Tier III emissions standards.
