Mario Puratić
Encyclopedia
Mario Puratić is a Croatian-born American inventor who made major advances in fishing technology, such as the Puretic power block
.
Puratić was born in 1917 in the town of Sumartin
on the island of Brač
in a Croatian
family of farmers and fishermen. In 1938 immigrated to the United States
. To facilitate extraction of the net from the sea, he invented revolutionary fishing equipment that was relatively easy to use. Due to his invention, Peru
increased its fishing pelagic fish
by 300 percent. Within a few months, during 1953 in San Pedro
he invented the Puretic power block. A job which once needed 8 to 10 people could now equally quickly be done with only 5 or 6 people, but still no one was interested in the product.
In 1955 the company Marco from Seattle, specialized in sea building and design, recognized the potential of his invention and its engineers produced a product for practical use called the Power Block. It has a form of evening pulley with aluminium skeleton and the central rotating element, often wrapped in hard rubber, which can work. Quality of the product was very quickly recognized and up until 1960, most fishing boats in the northern seine fleet had installed the power block. It made possible the renaissance of the moribund United States distant water tuna fleet, an event that put the United States into the forefront of the fishing world and has kept it there, helped by the adoption of synthetic fibers for netting.
The puretic power block revolutionized the fishing industry in such a way that FAO
stated that no single invention has contributed more to the success of purse seine net hauling than extensive line of Power Blocks. In 1972 Canada
issued a five dollar bill with a salmon seiner on the reverse. In 1975, Mario Puratić was proclaimed the inventor of the year in the United States and also one among America's most famous 100 inventors of the 20th century.
Puretic power block
The Puretic power block is a special kind of mechanised winch used to haul nets on fishing vessels. The power block is a large powered aluminium pulley with a hard rubber-coated sheave...
.
Puratić was born in 1917 in the town of Sumartin
Sumartin
Sumartin is a port village in Croatia on the island of Brač. It is connected by the D113 highway and by ferry....
on the island of Brač
Brac
Brač is an island in the Adriatic Sea within Croatia, with an area of 396 km², making it the largest island in Dalmatia, and the third largest in the Adriatic. Its tallest peak, Vidova Gora, or Mount St. Vid, stands at 778 m, making it the highest island point in the Adriatic...
in a Croatian
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
family of farmers and fishermen. In 1938 immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. To facilitate extraction of the net from the sea, he invented revolutionary fishing equipment that was relatively easy to use. Due to his invention, Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
increased its fishing pelagic fish
Pelagic fish
Pelagic fish live near the surface or in the water column of coastal, ocean and lake waters, but not on the bottom of the sea or the lake. They can be contrasted with demersal fish, which do live on or near the bottom, and reef fish which are associated with coral reefs.The marine pelagic...
by 300 percent. Within a few months, during 1953 in San Pedro
San Pedro
- Places :Argentina:* San Pedro, Buenos Aires Province* San Pedro Partido* San Pedro Department, Jujuy* San Pedro Department, MisionesBelize:*San Pedro Town, a town on the island of Ambergris Caye Chile:...
he invented the Puretic power block. A job which once needed 8 to 10 people could now equally quickly be done with only 5 or 6 people, but still no one was interested in the product.
In 1955 the company Marco from Seattle, specialized in sea building and design, recognized the potential of his invention and its engineers produced a product for practical use called the Power Block. It has a form of evening pulley with aluminium skeleton and the central rotating element, often wrapped in hard rubber, which can work. Quality of the product was very quickly recognized and up until 1960, most fishing boats in the northern seine fleet had installed the power block. It made possible the renaissance of the moribund United States distant water tuna fleet, an event that put the United States into the forefront of the fishing world and has kept it there, helped by the adoption of synthetic fibers for netting.
The puretic power block revolutionized the fishing industry in such a way that FAO
Fão
Fão is a town in Esposende Municipality in Portugal....
stated that no single invention has contributed more to the success of purse seine net hauling than extensive line of Power Blocks. In 1972 Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
issued a five dollar bill with a salmon seiner on the reverse. In 1975, Mario Puratić was proclaimed the inventor of the year in the United States and also one among America's most famous 100 inventors of the 20th century.