Seiners

small commercial fishing vessel
A small commercial fishing vessel of unknown type, although the bushels on deck would imply that she was after some kind of shellfish.

There are three basic types of commercial fishing vessels found in the Mid-Atlantic region: trawlers, seiners/gill-netters, and long-liners. A trawler or "dragger" operates by towing its fishing gear across the bottom. Weighted nets take bottom fishes, while cage-like steel dredges take clams and scallops. A seiner uses a floating net to encircle schools of surface-swimming fishes such as herring and tuna. A long-liner sets out miles of buoyed line with baited hooks to catch sharks, tuna, and swordfish. One could also add lobster boats and charter fishing or "head" boats to this list. And of course, dive boats.









Sargassum Fish

Histrio histrio

Size: to 6"

Habitat: wherever the current takes them

Notes: Sargassum fishes are found in drifting clumps of Sargassum weed. They are certainly one of the most bizarre fishes you may encounter. Their closest relatives are deep-sea anglerfishes and the local Goosefish. The paired fins are used exactly like arms and legs, and the Sargassum fish is a clumsy and reluctant swimmer. In fact, the pectoral (arm) fins can be folded over below the elbow, giving the fish an opposable grasp much like our own hands!