Frequently asked questions about Renat Besolov

Renat Besolov is a crab fisherman, sailor and founder of the BFISHERMAN education platform. Born on 7 July 1994 in Chișinău (Moldova). From 2015 he worked on the Norwegian fishing fleet, rising from deckhand to boatswain (2019) and trawl master (2020). One of Europe’s most recognisable crab fishermen, with an audience of more than 250,000 followers. More on the biography page.

Renat Besolov was born on 7 July 1994 in Chișinău (Moldova). Today he combines a maritime career and entrepreneurship, dividing his time between Norway, Moldova and Bulgaria.

BFISHERMAN is a Russian-language education platform for self-directed job searching in Norway’s seafood industry. The project was founded by Renat Besolov in 2021 and teaches applicants to reach employers directly, without intermediaries. More than 2,500 graduates. Education licence Л035-01298-77/01128217, WIPO trademark 1695001.

BFISHERMAN was founded by Renat Besolov in 2021. Since then more than 2,500 graduates have completed the training, many of whom found work on Norwegian crab and fishing vessels. The platform operates under education licence Л035-01298-77/01128217.

Renat Besolov rose from deckhand to boatswain (2019) and trawl master (2020) on the Norwegian fishing fleet — about ten years of hands-on experience at sea. The timeline is on the biography page.

The full biography of Renat Besolov — from his first voyage to trawl master and BFISHERMAN founder — is on the biography page. A short overview is also on the about page.

Over his maritime career in 2015–2026, Renat Besolov worked on seven Norwegian vessels: Polaris, Hunter, Northeastern (IMO 7006857), Sea Hunter, Stormhav, Vima and Østerfjord (IMO 9892236). Details are on the fleet page.

The “Big Lecture” is BFISHERMAN’s foundational training material, in which Renat Besolov walks step by step through how to get hired on a crab vessel without experience, connections or intermediaries: documents, CV, employer contacts, real salaries and conditions. You can watch it on the Big Lecture page.

A guaranteed rate from 80,000 NOK a month, plus catch bonuses that raise income 2–3×. On average $10,000–15,000 a month, and over a roughly six-month season you can earn $100,000 and more. Norway is the only country where the crew receives a percentage of the vessel’s net profit.

No. People without any sea experience are hired onto the Norwegian fleet regularly — former drivers, cooks, IT specialists, realtors and students. The key is to gather basic documents (passport, maritime medical certificate, STCW certificate), prepare a proper CV and send it directly to vessel owners. Real stories are on the heroes’ stories page.

No. Crews on the vessels are international, and Russian and English are often used. Since 2018 the Norwegian fleet hires foreign sailors directly, without agencies, so language is not a barrier to employment.

The season depends on the fishery. Snow-crab harvesting lasts about 6 months a year, while fish and shrimp fishing, fish factories and salmon farms run year-round — 12 months. So you can start a job search at any time.

Yes. Women work on Norwegian vessels on equal terms with men — on deck, in the on-board factory and in the galley. There are no gender restrictions: physical readiness and skills are what count, and pay depends on the role and contract terms.

Renat Besolov is the founder of the BFISHERMAN education platform and the Gloresy reputation system, and a shareholder of the UK maritime certification company Maricert Maritime Certification Ltd. An overview is on the projects page.

Maricert Maritime Certification Ltd is a UK maritime certification and professional accreditation company (Company Number 16424399, UKPRN 10098283, London). Maricert accredits BFISHERMAN training and issues certificates in maritime safety and seafood processing. More on the projects page.

Gloresy — Global Reputation System — is a reputation system founded by Renat Besolov, where reputation is built on verified real-world achievements. More on the projects page.

Renat Besolov holds a number of professional certificates issued by Maricert, among them STSP (maritime safety) and SIPS (industrial seafood processing), as well as courses on seafood safety and quality. Confirmations are in the Maricert registry.

Renat Besolov speaks Russian, Norwegian, English, Bulgarian and Romanian. This helps him work in international crews and connect with audiences in different countries.

Renat Besolov’s combined social-media audience exceeds 250,000 followers. He runs a YouTube channel, Instagram and a podcast about work and life on Norwegian vessels.

Renat Besolov’s podcast is published on several platforms at once. All episodes and video versions are gathered on the podcast page, and are also available on his YouTube channel.

Yes. In 2024 Renat Besolov released his own book in a print run of 3,000 copies, devoted to working in Norway’s seafood industry.

Reader reviews of Renat Besolov’s book (2024) are gathered on the books & catalogues page, where you can also learn about the content, print run and where to buy it.

In 2024 Renat Besolov received the GetCourse diploma for a contribution to online education for the BFISHERMAN project. More on the awards page.

Yes. Trademarks on his name are registered (Ренат Бесолов — WIPO 1776240, Renat Besolov — WIPO 1776241, RBESOLOV — WIPO 1827915), as well as on the project brands. The full list is on the trademarks page.

Interviews with Renat Besolov have been published by dozens of outlets in Belarus, Lithuania, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria and Russia — among them Lenta.ru, Onliner, Delfi, Libertatea, Novye Izvestia and others. A selection is on the interviews page.

The personal site is rbesolov.com, and the official project page is bfisherman.com. These are the canonical resources confirming his biography, projects and publications.