The sea off the north east coast of Scotland. Fishing boats. Map showing drifter ports on the east coast of Britain. Boats in harbour. Fishing boats under construction. Net making. Drifter fleet puts out to sea. Boats at sea. Shooting the nets. At 1.00 am the nets are hauled back in and the catch brought on deck. Boats set off back to harbour. Boats enter harbour. A skipper takes sample catch to fish market. More boats return and catches are unloaded. Scenes as buyers bid for the catches in the market. The quick freezing plant in Lerwick (Shetland) where herring are frozen for transportation and storage. The kippering plant in Shetland. Herring are packed in salt and ice on the quayside for transportation to the continent. A fish canning factory. Fishwives gutting by hand; shots of traditional kippering. Herring are transported by train and lorry. The drifter fleet sets out to sea again.