Getting to Know Purse Seiners: Purse Seining Technology from Industrial to small Scale
Pelagic Fish Catching Fleet
Understanding Types of Purse Seiner Boats: The Conqueror of Pelagic Fish in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans
In the global fishing industry, **Purse Seiner** or purse seine is considered one of the most effective fishing methods for schooling pelagic species. These boats are the "architects" of giant nets capable of enclosing thousands of tons of fish in one haul.
The basic working principle of this boat is to encircle a school of fish with a long net, then pull the bottom line of the net (the drawstring) so that the net closes tightly like a bag or "purse," preventing the fish from escaping downward.
1. Industrial Tuna Purse Seiner
This is the "king" of all purse seine boats. This boat is massive, often exceeding 100 meters in length. Its main target is Tuna (Skipjack, Yellowfin, and Bigeye).
Characteristics: Equipped with a helicopter to monitor fish schools, a giant power block to pull the net, and a brine freezing cooling system capable of instantly freezing tons of tuna.
Global Variants of Purse Seiner Boats
Light Luring Seiner
Popular in Southeast Asian waters and the Philippines. This boat operates at night using spotlight boats to gather small fish like mackerel and sardines before enclosing them with the main net.
Group Seiner (Two-Boat)
Involves cooperation between two large boats to pull one giant net. This method is commonly found in Japan and South Korea to target very fast-moving pelagic fish populations.
American Tuna Seiner
Features a spacious deck at the back to accommodate a *skiff* (small high-powered boat). This skiff is used to pull the end of the net during circular maneuvers.
Small-Scale Purse Seiner
Boats measuring 15-30 meters that operate in coastal areas. Although smaller, their net pulling technology is beginning to shift from manual to automatic hydraulic power.
Modern Supporting Technologies
In the past, pulling a purse seine net required dozens of crew members. Now, thanks to the invention of the **Power Block** (hydraulic pulling block), the pulling process has become much faster and safer. Additionally, the use of **360-degree Sonar** and **FAD (Fish Aggregating Devices)** allows the ship's captain to locate fish with up to 95% accuracy in the open ocean.
Crew Insights
Working on a Tuna Purse Seiner requires high agility, especially for *Skiff* and *Winch* operators. Working conditions usually follow the fish migration seasons in the Indian and Central Pacific Oceans.