Fishing Weirs

New Brunswick


Those round contraptions of wooden posts that you see dotting the waters around Grand Manan are based on the design of ancient fishing traps; some of those you see date back to the 19th century. They were formerly labeled with names such as 'Ruin,' 'Winner,' 'Outside Chance' and 'Spite,' evoking the heartbreak of relying on an indifferent sea for a living.

A tear made by a marauding seal in a net can free an entire catch of herring in a single night.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby New Brunswick attractions

1. Swallowtail Lighthouse

0.11 MILES

Clinging to the clifftop about 1km north of the ferry wharf, atmospheric Swallowtail Lighthouse (1860) is the island's signature vista. Climb down 53…

2. Whale & Seabird Research Station

0.56 MILES

Protecting North Atlantic right whales, disentangling harbor porpoises from herring weir and deciphering the mysteries of pelagic seabirds are just some…

3. Grand Manan Art Gallery

2.24 MILES

Housed in what looks like a 1970s church, this lovely, nonprofit local gallery showcases local and regional artists, as well as well-known historic and…

4. Grand Manan Historical Museum

5.49 MILES

This museum makes a good destination on a foggy day. Its diverse collection of local artifacts provides a quick primer on island history. You can see a…

5. Seal Cove

9.28 MILES

For a century, smoked herring was king on Grand Manan. A thousand men and women worked splitting, stringing and drying fish in 300 smokehouses up and down…

6. West Quoddy Head Lighthouse

11.23 MILES

This photogenic red-and-white striped lighthouse anchors the eastern end of the Quoddy Head State Park, and opens for visits during July and August …

7. Quoddy Head State Park

11.28 MILES

When the fog's not obscuring the view, the 541-acre Quoddy Head State Park has magnificent scenery. From the parking lot, walk the Coastal Trail, which…

8. Herring Cove Provincial Park

12.24 MILES

On the southeastern side of the island, Herring Cove Provincial Park has 10km of walking trails and a rocky-sandy beach arching for 1.5km. A century ago,…

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