Fisheries expert Alfred Jones receives an email from financial adviser Harriet Chetwode-Talbot, seeking advice on a project to bring
salmon fishing to
Yemen—a project being bankrolled by a wealthy Yemeni
sheikh and supported by the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Alfred dismisses the project as "fundamentally unfeasible" because Yemen cannot provide the necessary environment for salmon. Meanwhile, the
British Prime Minister's
press secretary, Patricia Maxwell, suggests the salmon fishing story to the Prime Minister's office as a positive story to help improve relations between Britain and the
Islamic world. Alfred meets Harriet to discuss the project, but despite Harriet correcting his misconceptions of Yemen's environment, Alfred is convinced that the project is foolhardy. Alfred's boss, under pressure from Patricia, forces Alfred to accept a position on the project. Alfred considers resigning rather than ruin his reputation in the scientific community, but is convinced by his wife that they need his income and pension. Harriet arranges for Alfred to meet the Sheikh at his estate in the
Scottish Highlands. The Sheikh is excited to meet Alfred as he is the inventor of the "Woolly Jones" fishing fly. While the Sheikh acknowledges that the project might sound crazy, he still believes that fishing is a noble pursuit that promotes harmony and requires immense faith. After his wife accepts a position in
Geneva, Alfred devotes himself to the salmon project. Although painfully shy, he enjoys working with Harriet and they begin to make progress. Their enthusiasm is interrupted, however, when Harriet learns that her new boyfriend,
British special forces Captain Robert Meyers, is missing in action. Devastated, Harriet withdraws to her apartment. When Alfred visits her, she gets upset, thinking he just wants her to return to work, but then she realises he has come to comfort her, and the two embrace. Meanwhile, the Sheikh continues his work, despite
radical Islamists who accuse him of introducing Western culture to the region. Patricia informs the Sheikh that because of opposition to removing salmon from British rivers they will need to use farmed salmon. The Sheikh does not believe that salmon bred in captivity will survive in the wild and rejects Patricia's offer, ending the British Government's involvement in the project. Alfred resigns his government job to continue with the project. After a confrontation with his wife in which he realises that their marriage is over and that he is in love with Harriet, Alfred convinces the Sheikh to give the farmed salmon a try. As the two are fishing, a Yemeni radical attempts to assassinate the Sheikh, who is saved by Alfred casting his fishing line towards the assassin. Soon after, they return to Yemen, where Harriet and Alfred continue to grow closer. After a moonlight swim, he asks her if there was a "theoretical possibility" of the two of them ending up together. She accepts with a kiss on his cheek, but says she will need some time. At a press conference in Yemen, with the
Foreign Secretary, Patricia reunites Harriet with her boyfriend Robert who has survived the
counter-terrorism operation. The
PR stunt leaves Alfred heartbroken. That night, Harriet realises her feelings for Robert have changed, and when Alfred gets a text message from his wife asking him to return, he declines. The following day the fish are released from their holding tanks. The fish swim upstream, and everyone celebrates the success of the project. While Robert and the Foreign Secretary fly-fish for the photographers, terrorists break into the dam upstream and open the flood gates. Although most people survive the resulting flash flood, the valley is left in ruins. The Sheikh blames himself for the tragedy, and vows to rebuild—this time with the support of the local community. The next day, as Harriet prepares to leave with Robert, the latter says while she was the one thing on his mind that kept him alive during his mission, she doesn't owe him anything. She approaches Alfred to say goodbye, where he tearfully wishes her luck as he ponders what to do next. Just then, they see a salmon jumping from the water, indicating that some fish survived. Alfred tells Harriet he will indeed stay and help them rebuild. Harriet asks if he will need a partner—and Alfred realises that she is talking about herself. They embrace, and then hold hands whilst looking out over the river. ==Cast==