Research Vessels

About 10 research vessels, such as R/V Ricker of Canada, Kaiyo maru of Japan, Professor Kaganovsky of Russia, and Great Pacific of the United States and others, are deployed annually for scientific research cruises. In many cases, they are joint cruises with the participation of scientists from the different member countries.

W.E. Ricker (Canada)

Built in 1978 in Muroran, Japan. Fisheries and Oceans purchased it in 1986 and converted it into a research vessel, renamed it after Dr. W.E. Ricker, chief scientist of Fisheries Research Board, known for developing Ricker Model on fish population dynamics.

Kaiyo maru (Japan)

Built in 1991 in Tamano, Japan (93 m length and gross tonnage 2,942), replacing the first Kaiyo maru, which was built in 1967. She is regarded as the most high-tech research vessel equipped with advanced high performance observation system. She has been involved with many cooperative research cruises under the NPAFC.

Professor Kaganovsky (Russia)

Built at - Volksverft, Schtralsund city, Germany in 1987 (56 m length and total tonnage 2,062 rt.). Main research regions of Professor Kaganovsky are Northwest Pacific and Far Eastern Seas Including international waters. She has 5 scientific labs and scientific team of 15 persons can be aboard.

Great Pacific (United States)

Built in 1979 in Tacoma, Washington as combination crabber/trawler. Since 1991 she has targeted primarily pollock in the Bering Sea, Aleutian Island and Western Gulf of Alaska. First started as the Ocean Carrying Capacity charter in 1996, now she is extensively involved as a salmon research vessel.