Abalone Wars

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The stage is set for the start of the thirty-five million dollar South Australian abalone season. Introductions to the two - three person crews based out of Port Lincoln highlight the treacherous ocean conditions, unpredictable weather and the growing risk of shark attacks that plague their working lives. But there's big money to be made for the quota owners and these hired crews if they can strike abalone. If they don't - it can mean big losses and more days battling the dangerous conditions. There's trouble from day one for hired guns, Dominic Henderson, aka "the Dominator" & his crewmate 'Skin'. Desperate to get a jump on the other crews, their planned early morning departure falls flat as one of their boat engines fail. Staring down the barrel of a big loss for the day, they pull out all stops to get on the water. Their first dive sees 'the Dominator' battle a surging underwater sandstorm in an attempt to fill their catch target. Howard Rodd and his diver Peter Clarkson, head out to an old abalone bed hoping to see growth since they were last there two years earlier. After a disappointing start to their first dive, Peter strikes abalone 'gold' and pulls a massive haul from the ocean bed before heading out to another stretch of ocean hoping to replicate their previous catch. David Buckland, aka "Bucky" and his sheller Damon are no strangers to the abalone game. But Bucky's recent investment into an expensive quota licence to fish abalone, has left him financially exposed after the global financial crash. He's a fighter, however having the weight of a huge loan and the death of his brother to a Great White Shark hanging over his head he's under huge pressure to bag a big catch on every dive.