Oysters fishing back to front
The Jacoba Prins has turned oyster laying and fishing back to front. Dutch builder Maaskant Bruinisse B.V., Bruinisse, Netherlands and owner Prins Oesterkweek b.v., Yerseke, Netherlands decided on a different approach for this dedicated vessel. The wheelhouse is offset to the starboard side and gives a good overview of the fishing process. There is no forward fishing mast with derricks. Instead, there are three steel tipping frames to the aft deck with integrated guiding sheaves and rollers. Fishing and tipping the dredges is achieved in one movement with a single wire and no secondary systems are needed.
The dredges are set and hauled / tipped by pressing a button in the wheelhouse. The whole action is automatic and can be controlled by just one person. This means the fishing cycle is much shorter than with derricks.
From the receiving bin in the aft ship the oysters are washed through to the central area of the vessel where water and debris discharge directly overboard. The oysters are then transported on an elevator belt to a sorting belt and then via a second elevator belt into a grading machine. The right-size oysters for consumption are transported on a gutter into one of the three containers. It is also possible to bulk load into the hold.
The vessel has two holds, each with the floor above the waterline in the unloaded condition. Both holds have two washing heads, four discharge sliding valves in the forward hold and two in the aft hold. This is very important so that the oysters can be relayed on the oyster beds in a precise and gentle way without damaging them.
Characteristics
When collecting oysters for sale, three containers are placed transversely in the forward hold. In this condition the aft hold is used as a storage hold for big and the small oysters. To set the beacons on the oyster beds the vessel is equipped with a hydraulically operated pole through the fore ship in order to keep the vessel in a fixed position.
The patent-pending catching system is backed, unusually, by diesel-electric propulsion with two electrically driven rudder propellers offering 360 degree control. The motors turn out 160 kW each, and drive two Verh Z-drive rudder-propellers giving the vessel a speed of 8.5 knots. Thrust and direction of thrust are controlled from the wheelhouse with two single-handle systems.
Winches: three single-drum fishing winches from Maaskant. An electrically driven anchor winch handles the 17.5mm anchor chain with 270 kg HPP anchor.
Generating set: propulsion, winches, washing pumps, hydraulic power pack and the ship’s electrical system are fed through 575 kVA generating set with a Caterpillar C 18 diesel engine with box cooler. The generating set is placed in the forward engine room.
Related Articles
FISHERIES
FISHERIES
WORLD FISHING EVENTS