Passions rule the fishy lives of those along the shoreline of Monterey in Northern California’s fishing industry. Returning home in dissolution, Mae Doyle (Barbara Stanwyk) is dissatisfied and discontent, but marries fisherman Jerry D’Amato (Paul Douglas) anyhow and has his baby. Yet, she seems drawn to thuggish Earl (Robert Ryan), another dangerous and unpredictable type of man. Mae’s brother Joe (Keith Andes) worries that tuna packer Peggy (Marilyn Monroe) is on the same track of bitterness as his sister with a wandering eye for other men. Their relationship becomes more volatile as well. When Mae decides to leave Jerry, someone may end up sleeping with the fishes.