8.4   Round Haul Seine

              This gear is a type of liftnet where operation consists of 3 non-motorized light boats, two (2) flatboats, and one outriggered motorized banca. In going to the fishing ground, the outriggered banca tows the two flatboats and the 3 light boats. The light boats anchor at 300-500 meters distance from each other while the two flatboats wait in the area. When a sufficient fish school is detected, the light boat signals the flatboats to prepare for the operation. The flatboats proceed near to the lightboat with the fish school and drop anchor taking into account the current direction. The flatboat with the net transfers one side of the net to the other flatboat and they separate sideways thus spreading the net. The lightboat with the fish school will slowly pay out some of its anchor line to drift towards the center of the net. As soon as the fish school is at the center of the net, the pull ropes on both flatboats are hauled simultaneously until the leadline is at the sea surface. The fish are then concentrated in the bag portion where it is brough to one of the flatboat for sorting. The operation is repeated when there is another fish school with the other light boat.

             The flatboats are 13.7 meters long, and are powered by 16 hp engines. The lightboats are non-motorized dugout canoes, 4.9 meters long. Each lightboat has 2 or 3 pressurized kerosene lamps. The service banca is 13 meters long, powered by an 80 hp fuzo engine.

              The main net is made of knotless nylon 210d/6 with an 8 mm. mesh size. The selvage uses polythylene 400d/18 with 33.7 mm. mesh size. The floatline measuring 73.2 meters long is made of polyethylene rope f 10 and with 40 styrofoam floats. The leadline has a length of 36.6 meters long and made of PE f 10 mm. diameter PE. Both sides of the net are provided with 6 pull ropes but only the lower three are provided with weights varying from 15 kg, 30 kg, and 40 kg.

              At present, the round-haul-seines are found in the Cagayan, Quezon, Capiz and Bohol provinces.

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