The Rotting Legacy of St. Mary’s Fish Sauce Plant

The long-awaited cleanup of the notorious fish sauce plant in St. Mary’s, Newfoundland, is finally underway after decades of community frustration and regulatory battles. Crews have begun removing the putrid sauce from the abandoned facility, which was abandoned by the Atlantic Seafood Sauce Company in 2003.

Successive governments have been at odds over who should foot the bill for the cleanup, leaving residents to suffer the consequences. The abandoned tanks have become a blight on the landscape, littering the area with sludge and posing an environmental hazard. It’s not just the stench that’s been a problem; it’s also the eyesore.

Sharp Management is undertaking the cleanup effort using a novel approach: mixing the sauce with peat moss to neutralize the odor. The treated sauce will be shipped out to Sunnyside, where it will be stored in a specialized waste cell.

Environment Minister Chris Tibbs acknowledged that while this solution may seem like a temporary fix, “We are only too happy to be involved as a provincial government and to see this through.” Mayor Steve Ryan has been at the forefront of efforts to clean up the plant, earning praise from Sherry Gambin-Walsh, Liberal MHA for Placentia-St. Mary’s since 2015.

The removal of the fish sauce is a necessary first step towards healing and revitalizing the community. However, as Minister Tibbs noted, “Our work is not finished.” The people of St. Mary’s deserve continued transparency and accountability from government as this project moves forward.

The cleanup of the fish sauce plant in St. Mary’s serves as a national reminder that environmental stewardship requires a sustained commitment to doing what’s right, not just when it’s convenient or expedient.