The Weir: Fishing Fundy’s Giant Tides

Weir fishing is one of the oldest known fishing methods – and one of the most sustainable.

The Weir follows the 2014 season at the Porter Weir in Nova Scotia, exploring the many challenges faced by its owner and the opportunities it presents for scientists and the community.

Creative team

Writer/director/producer: Jerry Lockett

Filmmaker’s statement

I was working on a long-term nature film about the Bay of Fundy when someone told me I should meet Darren Porter who operates a fishing weir in the Minas Basin where the highest tides in the world occur.

I was instantly struck by his commitment to running a ‘green’ fishery, to minimizing by-catch, to encouraging research and to community involvement.

My long-term project was put on the back burner and for six months I followed progress at the massive weir: the incredibly hard work of building and tearing it down every year, the relentless schedule dictated by the tides and the ups and downs of running a fishing business.

It is a way of life that few people, even in the Maritimes, are aware of.

Through many hours of interviews and discussions I developed a deep and abiding respect for Darren, and he has become a valued friend.

About Jerry Lockett

Jerry Lockett has had a varied career – as a photographer in England and Europe; as a charter yacht captain in the Caribbean; and as a freelance journalist, editor and non-fiction author in Nova Scotia.

All involved storytelling in one way or another, and making films has been a natural progression.

He now uses documentary film to share his passion for the oceans and for conserving marine life.

The Weir premiered at the 2015 Atlantic Film Festival in Halifax where it won the award for best Atlantic short documentary.