July 24, 2026

For most people, commercial fishing involves little more than the image of boats heading offshore before sunrise. For those working in the tuna industry, the reality is far more complex.

Modern tuna purse seiners are sophisticated commercial vessels that combine advanced navigation systems, specialized fishing equipment, refrigeration technology, support skiffs, and highly experienced crews to harvest one of the world’s most valuable fisheries.

With that complexity comes a unique set of insurance challenges. From expensive fishing gear and hydraulic systems to environmental liability and crew safety, purse seine operations face exposures that differ significantly from nearly every other type of commercial vessel.

For operators working throughout the Pacific Ocean, understanding these risks is an important part of protecting both the vessel and the business behind it.

What Is a Tuna Purse Seiner?

A purse seiner is a commercial fishing vessel designed to harvest schooling fish, such as tuna, using a large surrounding net. Once a school of fish is located, the vessel deploys the net around the school before drawing the bottom of the net closed—much like pulling the drawstring on a purse.

These operations require precise coordination between the vessel, the skiff, specialized deck equipment, and an experienced crew. Every stage of the operation depends on expensive machinery functioning properly under demanding conditions.

Unlike many commercial vessels that transport cargo or passengers, purse seiners combine transportation, harvesting, processing, and preservation into a single offshore operation.

Millions of Dollars in Specialized Equipment

One of the defining characteristics of a tuna purse seiner is the amount of specialized equipment carried onboard.

Depending on the vessel, this may include:

• Purse seine nets
• Hydraulic power blocks
• Winches
• Skiffs
• Fish pumps
• Refrigerated seawater systems
• Navigation electronics
• Sonar and fish-finding technology
• Satellite communications
• Refrigeration compressors

Many of these systems are custom-built and expensive to replace. Damage to a single component can delay fishing operations, resulting in both repair costs and lost fishing opportunities.

Properly scheduling equipment within an insurance program helps ensure these assets receive appropriate protection.

Nets Represent a Significant Investment

Fishing nets are among the most valuable pieces of equipment aboard a purse seiner.

Large purse seine nets may represent hundreds of thousands of dollars in investment and are exposed to constant wear from heavy loads, weather, marine life, and underwater hazards.

Damage can occur from entanglement, submerged objects, heavy weather, or mechanical failure during deployment and retrieval.

Because nets are essential to harvesting operations, coverage for nets and gear should be carefully reviewed as part of any commercial fishing insurance program.

Skiffs Play a Critical Role

The skiff is one of the most important support vessels in a purse seine operation.

During deployment, the skiff helps position and hold one end of the net while the main vessel completes the set. Although smaller than the seiner itself, the skiff operates independently in close proximity to fishing gear, large vessels, and changing sea conditions.

Its unique role creates additional exposure for collision, equipment damage, and liability.

Insurance programs should reflect the operational importance of these support vessels.

Some Tuna Operations Also Rely on Fish Spotting Aircraft

Many Pacific tuna purse seine operations use helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft to locate schools of tuna more efficiently. Fish spotting aircraft provide crews with valuable aerial visibility, helping vessels reduce search time and improve operational efficiency over vast areas of the Pacific Ocean.

These aircraft introduce an entirely different set of risks, including hull damage, liability exposure, maintenance requirements, and pilot operations. Businesses that own or contract fish spotting aircraft should ensure their insurance program addresses both marine and aviation exposures.

Learn more about our aviation insurance solutions for commercial marine operations.

Crew Safety Remains a Top Priority

Commercial tuna fishing is physically demanding work.

Crew members routinely handle heavy gear, hydraulic equipment, cables, cranes, and machinery while working on moving decks in changing weather conditions.

Even with extensive training and safety procedures, injuries remain a significant exposure.

Protection and indemnity coverage plays an important role in helping address liability arising from crew injuries and other third-party claims.

Environmental Responsibility Matters

Today’s commercial fishing industry operates under significant environmental oversight.

Fuel handling, hydraulic systems, and vessel operations all create potential environmental exposure. While operators work diligently to prevent spills or accidental releases, even relatively small incidents can trigger cleanup requirements and regulatory response.

Environmental liability protection has become an increasingly important consideration for many commercial fishing businesses operating throughout the Pacific.

Protecting the Catch

Once tuna is harvested, protecting its value becomes just as important as catching it.

Mechanical failures affecting refrigerated seawater systems, onboard refrigeration equipment, or other preservation systems can threaten the quality of the catch before it reaches port.

Insurance solutions may include protection for harvested catch, helping operators reduce financial exposure when covered losses affect valuable cargo.

Weather Adds Another Layer of Risk

Pacific Ocean conditions can change quickly.

Large swells, changing currents, and extended offshore operations place continuous demands on both vessels and crews. Weather can also affect fishing schedules, increase equipment wear, and create additional navigation challenges.

Preparation, maintenance, and operational planning all contribute to reducing risk during demanding offshore operations.

Insurance Programs Should Reflect Real Operations

No two commercial fishing operations are identical.

Factors that influence insurance needs include:

• Vessel size and value
• Fishing grounds
• Crew size
• Support vessels
• Net values
• Refrigeration systems
• Catch value
• Navigation areas
• Maintenance practices

Insurance programs should reflect how the vessel actually operates rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all approach.

Why Experience Matters

Commercial fishing insurance is a specialized field.

Understanding the difference between a purse seiner, longliner, crab vessel, or trawler allows an insurance broker to better identify operational exposures and structure appropriate coverage.

Working with a broker who understands commercial fishing operations helps ensure important assets—from nets and skiffs to refrigeration systems and catch—receive the attention they deserve.

Protecting Pacific Coast Tuna Fleets

Tuna purse seiners represent some of the most sophisticated commercial fishing operations on the Pacific Ocean. Their success depends on specialized fishing gear, support skiffs, experienced crews, refrigeration systems, and, for some operations, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft used for fish spotting.

The right insurance program should be just as specialized.

At Pacific Ocean Marine Insurance Brokers, we’ve worked with commercial fishing vessels throughout the Pacific Coast for decades, including many of the West Coast’s tuna purse seine fleet. Our experience allows us to understand the unique challenges these operations face and build insurance programs designed around the realities of commercial fishing—not generic marine coverage.