Portuguese fishermen in Greenland

For centuries Portuguese fishermen have carried out cod fishery on the Newfoundland banks. Since 1931 they have moreover carried out their fishery on the fishing banks in the Davis Strait off the West Greenland coast. Of the 10 nations fishing off West Greenland, a Portuguese fleet of 20 trawlers and 40 schooners and motor vessels obtained in 1952 the second best catch of cod, a total of more than 53.000 tons. Alone in his tiny little flat-bottomed vessel, the dory, the Portuguese fisherman defies the storm and cold weather of the arctic sea. His life consists of days of hard work in constant danger on the open sea. This film is dedicated to Portugal's heroic fishermen of the arctic seas. On board m/s 'Capitão João Vilarinho', a new fishing vessel of 1100 tons, we leave St. John's in Newfoundland together with 70 fishermen, headed for the banks off West Greenland, where the fishery will start.