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A 'seine' is a large fishing net that hangs vertically in the water by attaching weights along the bottom edge and floats along the top.

Contents

Purse seine

Usage in the Alaska salmon fishing industry

Equipment

Personnel

See also

Purse seine

A common type of seine is a 'purse seine', named such because along the bottom are a number of rings. A rope passes through all the rings, and when pulled, draws the rings close to one another, preventing the fish from "sounding", or swimming down to escape the net. This operation is similar to a traditional style purse, which has a drawstring.
The purse seine is a preferred technique for capturing commercially important fish species which school, or aggregate, close to the surface: such as sardines, mackerel, anchovies, herring, certain species of tuna (schooling); and salmon soon before they swim up rivers and streams to spawn (aggregation).

Usage in the Alaska salmon fishing industry

Purse seine usage in the Alaska salmon fishing industry:

Equipment

A commercial fishing boat, used for purse seining in the Alaskan salmon fishery, is typically be between 40 and 58 feet long. Toward the bow is a cabin, where the skipper and crew live (typically three to six people). The aft third of the boat consists of a flat deck, with a low rail around it. Amidships are hatch covers, which cover the fish hold, a tank where the fish are placed when caught. The stern is a simple flat area that holds the purse seine when it is out of the water. There are several booms, with various types of pulleys, used for working with the seine, and a deck winch for the same purpose.
There is also a skiff, a small boat used for towing. When not in use, the skiff is usually towed behind the fishing boat, though in rough weather a boom can be used to lift it up and set it on the deck. For long trips where rough weather is likely, the seine will be placed into the fish hold as well, to lower the center of gravity of the vessel and make it safer.
The purse seine itself is usually black in color, with colorful "corks" (floats of some sort) strung along the cork line, and lead weights strung along the lead line. The size and attributes of purse seines are regulated by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, which oversees the industry. A typical length may be 1200 feet long, by 40 feet deep (distance between cork like and lead line). It is stacked on the stern of the fishing boat with the corkline coiled on the port side, and the lead line coiled on the starboard side, with the web taking up the middle. The seine, when piled onboard, is about the size of a large pickup truck, and is very heavy as well.
A "set" is a single operation of the purse seine, intended to result in a catch of fish.

Personnel

Different members of the crew have different responsibilities.
;Skipper
:The skipper's job is to hire crew, manage all operation of the equipment, find the fish, direct the operation, find a market, sell the fish, and pay the crew.
;Skiffman
:The skiffman has responsibility for the skiff, keeping the fuel tank supplied, maintaining the engine, and driving it around as needed. The skipper may signal the skiffman aboard if help is needed to either pull up the bag of fish or "brail" the fish into the fish hole.
;Deck hands
:The deck hands take care of all of the tasks that need to be done on board during a set, such as detaching the skiff at the start of a set, 'plunging' to scare fish away from the boat where they could escape the net by going under the boat, and cleaning the deck of seaweed and bycatch while the net is deployed, stacking the cork line and lead line as the net is being taken back aboard, removing the odd fish that has become entangled in the net, and assisting with 'brailing' (scooping the fish aboard at the end of a set).

See also

★ Lampuki Maltese fishing methods

★ Seine (river).