Sea favors strong-willed: distinguished RFC fishermen and top crews receive awards
"I am delighted to extend my congratulations to you today on the occasion of your professional Fisherman's Day. I hold each one of you in high regard and deeply value your contributions to our shared success. Reflecting on our achievements over the past year, I can confidently say that we have made a significant breakthrough. We have demonstrated that our strategy is both sustainable and correct. We succeeded in acquiring our first domestic super trawlers and reaching their design capabilities, as well as producing new product types like surimi, which have never been produced in Russia at such a scale on these types of vessels. Naturally, none of this could have been achieved without your efforts. Thank you for taking on these challenges. Today, we pay tribute to the individuals who are moving the company forward."
Fisherman's trade is a traditional occupation that has long united the bravest of hearts and spirits. Today, RFC staff demonstrate that the sea favors those who are brave, strong-willed, and capableof handling any weather and challenges, as noted by the ceremony attendees.
"People are the heart of our company. Today, we want to acknowledge these individuals and express our gratitude for their hard work. I am delighted to extend my congratulations to everyone present here on Fisherman's Day, our main industry celebration. It is thanks to your engagement, your curiosity, and your involvement that we have been able to achieve such significant results. These accomplishments would not have been possible without the teamwork. Together, we are breaking new records in production. We are vigorously working towards promoting wild whitefish pollock. I believe that the O!Mega Taste pollock festival, which we have organized for the first time this year, will undoubtedly become a nationwide event. We alsoplace great importance on actively advocating for the fishing profession and hiring young peoplefor the new job opportunities we are creating. I am certain that the progress we are demonstratingwill inspire the upcoming generation and spark interest in the profession as a whole."
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Primorsky Krai, Aleksandr Shcherbakov, Minister of Industry and Trade of Primorsky Krai Sergei Kalitin, Deputy Head of Vladivostok Administration Nikolai Selyuk, and Head of Vocational Training and Research Department of the Ministry of Vocational Training and Employment of Primorsky Krai Olga Spivakova also extended their congratulations to RFC staff on the forthcoming professional holiday.
The speakers highlighted that the fishermen from Primorye contribute to Russia's food security and independence, and their products are recognized well beyond the country's borders. In recognition of their contributions to the fishing industry, RFC employees were presented in a solemn ceremony with certificates of merit from the Federal Agency for Fishery, the Governor of Primorsky Krai, the Governor of Khabarovsk Krai, the Legislative Assembly of Primorsky Krai, the Mayor of Vladivostok, and the Ministry of Vocational Training and Employment of Primorsky Krai.
Russian Fishery Company also honored its top employees with corporate awards in the HonoraryFisherman category and the best crews in the Best Crew of the Season category. Among them was the crew of Pavel Batov super trawler, where the caviar sorting crew stood out. Seafarer caviar professional Yulia Chaikovskaya was honored for her efficient work and years of service in RFC.
"I have been employed at the Russian Fishery Company for nearly a decade. Throughout these years, I have become a versatile expert involved in production of not just caviar, but also pollockfillets. However, as a caviar professionals, I particularly enjoy working with caviar. The caviar season kicks off in December and wraps up in April. Once the caviar has been hand-cleaned, we sort it out by categories. I take pride in our products and intend to continue my career at RFC. Receiving such an award and recognition ahead of a professional holiday feels truly pleasant."
RFC employees dedicate themselves to the sea and fishing, day and night. This profession is challenging, but undoubtedly loved, as shared by the attendees of the ceremonial gathering.
"I have been with the Russian Fishery Company since 2017. I began my career as a third mate, advanced to second mate, and now I am the chief mate on the new Kapitan Vdovichenko super trawler. My duties involve managing the vessel service, specifically, overseeing all aspects of thecrew life and making sure that safety regulations are met. And as the saying goes, the chief mate is essentially the vessel's captain at night. We are actively engaged in fishing and mentoring up-and-coming professionals. Turns out, I am not just the captain on the vessel at night, but also a psychologist: I keep an eye on people to always be ready to assist them in our challenging fishing endeavors. It is quite gratifying to be counted among the key professionals and to receive such warm congratulations. In return, I also would like to extend my congratulations to all colleagues on Fisherman's Day and wish for everyone to always return to shore with a good catch."
Wrapping up the ceremony, Olga Naumova, CEO of the Russian Fishery Company, reminded that starting this year, a five-year retention program is in place for key shipboard crew professionals, offering both tangible and intangible incentives. The aim of this program is to establish permanent crews of professionals who are well-acquainted with their vessel and have a firm grasp of their duties. As of today, 87 employees have already enrolled in the program and become part of the larger RFC team.
