a decade later, heimaey fishermen like oskar thorinsson face a new threat.dangered by a drop of nearly 70% in the cod population. i think it is quite clear that the cod stock is of such vital importance to iceland and the icelandic nation that without it we cannot expect that there would be any civilized le in iceland today. narrator: the essential reason for this shortage is manmade: iceland's enormous and technologically advanced fishing fleet has enough power to vacuum clean the ocean floor. to allow cod stocks to replenish, the government imposed strict quotas, setting the total allowable catch at 25% of the estimated cod biomass, or weight of the whole adult population. like fishermen who face dwindling stocks off massachusetts and maine, elmar svenson is angry with his government. ( svenson speaking icelandic ) translator: there is enough bounty to be caught, plenty of fish. and, how shall i put this, they're making the country go bankrupt with these quotas. as a case in point, the boat is docked today. i cannot afford to pay the mortgage for the house