Purse Seines

Purse Seines

Purse seines are a type of fishing net that is commonly used in commercial fishing. These nets are designed to encircle a school of fish, and then be drawn closed at the bottom, forming a purse that traps the fish inside. Purse seines are typically used to catch large schools of fish, such as tuna or herring, and are often used in conjunction with sonar technology to locate fish. The design of a purse seine consists of a large net with a series of floats along the top edge and weights along the bottom edge. The net is typically deployed from a fishing vessel, which encircles the school of fish and then pulls the bottom of the net closed, forming a purse. Once the fish are trapped inside the purse, they are then hauled aboard the vessel using a winch. While purse seines can be an effective way to catch large quantities of fish, they are also controversial due to their potential impact on the environment. The use of purse seines can result in the unintentional capture of non-target species, known as bycatch, which can include dolphins, sea turtles, and other marine animals. Additionally, the use of purse seines can result in overfishing and depletion of fish populations. Despite these concerns, purse seines continue to be widely used in commercial fishing operations around the world. Many countries have implemented regulations and restrictions on the use of purse seines in an effort to reduce their impact on the environment.

fishing, net, commercial, sonar, bycatch

— Jeffrey Taylor