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 Purse
seines used by gulf menhaden fishermen are conventional in
design. The size and material may vary, but usually a seine is
about 1,800 feet long, ten or more fathoms deep, and made of 1¾"
or 15/8" bar-mesh synthetic twine. The curtain-type net is hung
between a float line with the surface floats and a lead line with
stainless purse rings, purse line, and net leads. The bottom
of the net is closed by drawing the  purse
line through the rings along the lead line. This is
accomplished by dropping the ends of the net overboard adjacent to
a heavy lead weight or "tom" to which pulleys or
blocks are attached and through which the purse line passes.
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