Groundfish, mackerel and bluefin tuna will be on the hooks in southwestern Nova Scotia during two signature recreational fishing festivals in August.
The 34th annual Lockeport Sea Derby is set to go Aug. 7, 8 and 9, while the 22nd annual Wedgeport Tuna Tournament and Festival is scheduled for Aug. 16 to 22.
“A lot of people look forward to it,” said George Benham, president of the Lockeport Sea Derby, estimating about 400 people attend if the weather is good.
“If the weather’s nice we get a good turnout,” he said, adding they’ve only had to postpone the derby twice over the years due to weather.
The Lockeport Sea Derby is family oriented, with numerous children’s activities throughout the town, including a chalk drawing contest on the local wharf wall.
Of course, fishing is the main attraction, with people casting lines from the local wharves, from outboard boats and anywhere from 20 to 30 lobster boats.
“A lot of people go in outboards, especially if it’s fine. In the bay they can get mackerel, maybe not cod. Sometimes we have schools of mackerel in the harbour, so you can catch mackerel off the wharf,” said Benham.
Registration for the fishing derby is taken all three days, with the weigh-in starting at 4 p.m. on the final day. According to the rules, boats can leave one minute past midnight on Saturday morning of the derby weekend and can stay until Sunday, but have to be back in port for the weigh-in, said Benham.
The derby operates under Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) recreational fishery rules for groundfish and mackerel.
“We’ve had some big fish landed. A few years ago, an 18-pound cod dressed was landed, so it was close to 25 pounds round,” said Benham.
Last year, between cash and products, more than $20,000 worth of prizes were up for grabs, including a $5,000 grand prize, said Benham.
“We have quite a few prizes in addition to first, second and third place prizes,” said Benham. “We have prizes for adults for mackerel and cod, and youth prizes for mackerel and cod, and we have prizes for kids under five and grand prizes for youth and adults,”said Benham.
Live music performances, duct tape boat races and local vendors round out the Lockeport Sea Derby festivities.
Meanwhile down the shore in neighbouring Yarmouth County, organizers are prepping for the 22nd annual Wedgeport Tuna Tournament and Festival on Aug. 16 to 22.
Numerous events are held in the community during the week-long festival, including a wine and cheese social, fun runs, bingo, the Tuna Pageant, a beer garden with live entertainment and the seafood extravaganza tent.
A captain’s send-off will see the tuna fishing boats leaving for the fishing grounds on Aug. 18 from the Wedgeport Breakwater Wharf at 6 p.m. Weigh-ins start the next evening, depending if any of the tuna boats have returned to port. Each boat is only allowed to land one bluefin tuna. The final weigh-in begins at 9 a.m. on Aug. 22.
“The festival is very good for the community. It’s a great event,” said former president of the Wedgeport Tuna Tournament Association Brandon Doucette.
Doucette, who has been involved with the festival as an organizer for about 16 years, serving as association president for the past six, said the whole experience has been great.
“Talking to people walking around the tent or the weigh-ins. Sometimes they are from half-way around the world and they came specifically for the event or sometimes they are here in Nova Scotia for something and hear about the festival and come down. It’s always interesting to see so many people and the community come out.”
Doucette is still involved with the Wedgeport Tuna Tournament Association, serving as secretary/treasurer, with Roseanne Nickerson and Daphnee Sears serving as co-presidents.
Nineteen boats participated in last year’s tournament, landing a total of 12 bluefin tuna (6,688 pounds), three bigeye tuna (332 pounds) and six albacore tuna (242 pounds).
The Terrence Edward, captained by Dilan LeBlanc, Lower East Pubnico, was the winner of the Milton J. LeBlanc Memorial Tuna Cup for landing the heaviest bluefin tuna (705 pounds) in 2025. The biggest bluefin landed since the tournament’s revival in 2004 was 796 lbs, caught in 2014 by the Atlantic Angler.
The South West Nova Tuna Association allocates quota each year for the tournament, making it possible.
