The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1949-09-23

twelve thousand mesh net, one
thousand feet in length, having
increased to fourteen thousand
meshes measuring n thousand
one hundred and fifty feet in
length, with the indication that
the length will be increased to
sixteen thousand meshes and one
thousand three hundred feet.
Formerly the seine boats were
propelled by oars but with the
increased mechanical efficiency
of the Menhaden operation, these
boats were powered. The result
was that the purse seine itself
required to be heightened and
deepened so that the surfacing
school of fish would not be
alarmed by the motors and would,
therefore, not sound.
This increase in depth and
width of the net in no way altered
the facts of the relationship be-
tween purse SEEMING and the well
fare of game fish, other CONNER
cial fish, Shrimp, Oysters and
Crabs.
The operation of the Menhaden
fishing unit is, roughly, az fol-
lows. The purse SEEMING vessels
used on the Gulf Coast range,
usually, from one hundred and
one to one hundred and ten feet
in length and can carry about
eighty tons of fish. This unit
usually has as its equipment two
inboard motors, thirty-three foot
long winch equipped steel purse
boats whose purpose is to serve
in pursuing up the net and a small
boat known as the striker" boat,
about twelve feet long, rowed by
one man, the purpose of which is
to cepter and maintain a Fix
on the school of Menhaden.
The fish are first observed by
a lookout in the "crow's nest" of
the purse seiner and the seine
setter then uses a striker boat to
follow the fish, to indicate con
tinuously the position of the
school and, lastly, to support the
cork line so that it will not sink
and permit the school to escape.
The purse boats then speedily
head in front of the school. sep
arate, swing and Join, releasing
the seine and e~ncircling the school
until they close the vertical wall
of the purse seine. When this has
been accomplished, the tom
weight for closing the bottom is
heaved overheard and the purse
line is guided by them as the net
is hauled. The fish are thus con-
centrated in the "bunt" of the
purse seine, a process termed by
the Menhaden fishermen "hard-
ening" the fish. The crews now
haul in the ends and bottom of
the net until they accumulate the
fish in the center portion of the
purse seine. The Menhaden sein-
ing vessel now moves alongside
the net and the catch is trans
ferred to the hold of the ship.
usually by means of a brazil, The
brazil is usually a net about four
and one-half feet across and four
feet deep with rings and a rope
at the bottom much like those of
the purse seine itself, 1t is hauled
up by tackle operated by a deck
motor and guided by the crew by
means of a long handle. This con-
cludes the operation of the cap
ture of the Menhaden.
The fish are usually transferred
to the Menhaden reduction plant
by means of a conveyor which is
an extremely efficient mechanic
al device whereby the equipment
a be dropped directly into the
hold and the fish elevated to the
correct site of initial processing
in the Menhaden plant.
1t would seem to me that the
operations, as far as they are of
interest to the sports fishermen
and other commercial fishermen,
end when the Menhaden have
been taken aboard the Menhaden
purse SEEMING vessel and therefore.
there will be here omitted anv
description of the subsequent
technical processing procedures
which reduce the Menhaden to
two highly valuable commercial
products. first. Menhaden oil and.
second, the liquid mixture of pro-
teins and soluble proteins which
is sold directly in this form and
which is used to supplement
stock foods and further to pro-
vide a source for the constantly
expanding medical and nutrition
al application of amino-acids in
stock feeding and in human
medicine.