Stark Bros Ltd and Ocean Fisheries Ltd have launched their new FV Frontier and they say the build period which took 19 months has been an exciting time for them. More important, they say they believe the FV Frontier will revolutionise the mindset for small-boat fishing in New Zealand. It has been specifically designed to fish the varied conditions and fishing grounds particular to the East Coast South Island of New Zealand, ranging in depth from 10m to 1,200m.
Economic operation within a wide range of fishing areas, from traditional inshore 'market' fishing through to deepsea/offshore fisheries, means that it has the capabilities to handle high volume fish such as squid, hoki, and red cod in season, while also maintaining the ability to operate with smaller quantities of traditionally higher value species such as flat fish, gurnard, tarakihi, etc.
A Big Little Ship
The trawler also incorporates features traditionally reserved for large, factory fishing trawlers and they say it delivers on quality and economy in a way that can only lead to increased profitability.
The range and specification of the equipment fitted to the vessel mean that it will be unlike any other small fishing vessel operating in New Zealand today. And in the future, Stark Bros Ltd intend o change that and are actively looking at the prospects of additional design-and-build contracts along similar lines for medium and large fishing companies operating within the inshore and middle depth fisheries.
