VESSEL REVIEW | Protector IV – Research and patrol catamaran for UK inshore fisheries authority

The UK’s Eastern Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority (Eastern IFCA) has taken delivery of a locally built catamaran built for research and patrol duties. Named Protector IV, the newbuild will be used for inshore fisheries protection patrols and surveys from Haile Sand Fort in the north to Felixstowe in the south, encompassing the counties of Lincolnshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk, extending a further six nautical miles from their coastlines.

The vessel has an LOA of 16.2 metres (53.1 feet) and a beam of 6.5 metres (21 feet). Two Volvo Penta D8 IMO Tier III-compliant engines deliver a top speed of 22 knots and a service speed of 18 knots. The high speed makes the catamaran suitable for patrols, particularly those that require fisheries officials to cover more areas within the same timeframe.

A faster and more versatile platform

“Historically, the authority operated a research vessel and a separate enforcement vessel, because we're responsible for fishery management,” Julian Gregory, Chief Executive Officer of Eastern IFCA, told Baird Maritime. “That research vessel was due for replacement, and we were looking for a dual-purpose vessel that could fulfil both research and enforcement roles.”

Gregory explained that the newer Protector IV is a complex and completely different vessel from the agency’s 25-year-old boat. It is ideal for the research role thanks to an A-frame, a crane, and an electronics suite. The newer vessel is also significantly faster, ensuring much quicker deployments to survey and patrol sites, whereas its predecessor was limited to only nine knots.

“As we’re responsible for fisheries management, we also need to ensure our activities don’t negatively impact protected areas, which cover about 96 per cent of our district. Much of our research aims to enable fishing to occur safely without harming the environment, which is crucial for both the fishing industry and conservation efforts.”

To help the newbuild satisfy this requirement, it is fitted with much of the same equipment as on the earlier Eastern IFCA boat, though Gregory clarified that everything has been updated. The electronics are more sophisticated and include an EPI system, which allows a crewmember to control some of the gear installed throughout the boat without ever having to leave the helm station. This translates into improved operational flexibility, as the catamaran will be able to embark with fewer personnel.

Unlike its predecessor, Protector IV also has space for a daughtercraft to augment its patrol function. Supplied by C-Fury, the daughtercraft is compact enough to be loaded onto the roof of the catamaran’s wheelhouse but still capable of carrying IFCA inspectors to inspect fishing vessels more closely. The wheelhouse electronics meanwhile include a Furuno radar and a Teledyne FLIR rotating thermal camera, which will patrols to be conducted at night or in adverse weather.

“Our district has ten offices around the coast of England, covering the south bank of the Humber and extending to Lincolnshire and Felixstowe,” Gregory told Baird Maritime. “The vessel will operate within this area, conducting duties such as cockle and mussel surveys, water sampling and testing, and research in channel waters, focusing on habitat surveys. She'll also participate in patrol work for enforcement.”