purse seine

¹

noun

1. a large seine, for use generally by two boats, that is drawn around a school of fish and then closed at the bottom by means of a line passing through rings attached along the lower edge of the net.

2. a technique of fishing that utilizes a purse seine to capture large schools of fish, especially tuna.

purse-seine

²

[purs-seyn]

verb (used without object)

purse-seined, purse-seining 

1. to fish using a purse seine.

purse seine

noun

1. a large net towed, usually by two boats, that encloses a school of fish and is then closed at the bottom by means of a line resembling the string formerly used to draw shut the neck of a money pouch or purse

Other Word Forms

• purse seiner noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of purse seine¹

An Americanism dating back to 1865–70

Example Sentences

Many birds drown in purse seine nets each year.

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Their wiggling catch arrives alive, not smushed as in a purse seine, or ripped and bleeding from a gill net.

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The study’s authors analyzed catch data from purse seine nets, which capture all of the fish in a small area.

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The fisheries target all five species of concern, and all gear types, including those using gillnet gear and purse seine, trolling and other methods.

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French and Spanish fishing fleets take the majority of fish, using industrial methods such as “purse seine” with huge nets that often net juvenile yellowfin yet to begin reproducing.

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