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 Carrying
a crew of about 14 people (captain, mate, vessel pilot, chief engineer,
second engineer, cook, and eight fishermen),
steamer vessels depart
from various plants and arrive on the fishing grounds near daybreak.
On most fishing days, 4-5 sets of the purse seine are made on average.
Depending on their catch, the weather, and other factors, a vessel
may make several trips during the week.
 The
search for menhaden is conducted by three persons, the
spotter pilot, the vessel
captain, and the vessel pilot. Once a "color" or "whip" is sighted
indicating that a school of appropriate size is within range, the
steamer crew goes into action. On orders from the captain, the
purse-boat crews (fishermen)
rush to stations at the purse boats near the stern. The purse boats
are lowered into the water and join at the stern of the steamer.
 Each
purse boat carries half of the
purse seine as they race together toward the school of fish.
Once they get close to the school, the purse boats separate and
begin to "play out" or "set" the net as they proceed in a half circle
around the school and meet with the school surrounded by the net.
The purse line, running through the bottom rings, closes the bottom
of the seine to confine the menhaden. The seine is then retrieved
mechanically by the power block aboard each boat forcing the fish
into a relatively small section of the net known as the "bunt."
 The
steamer moves to the purse boats where they are secured to the port
side. The fish are raised closer to the surface as the net is lifted
by a large boom. The catch is then pumped across
dewatering screens into the refrigerated
hold through a large, flexible hose that is attached to a suction
pump. The excess transport water is returned to the sea. If it appears
that there will be more fish in the immediate area, the purse boats
are secured to the stern of the steamer and towed to an adjacent
location.
Once the hold is full or the trip is otherwise completed, the
steamer returns to the plant where the fish are unloaded by pumps
and processed or "reduced".
The number of "sets" made by the vessel per day depends on the availability
and size of the schools. Schools may contain from 3 to 100 metric
tons of menhaden each; however, an average set contains 17 to 22
metric tons of menhaden.
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