Foul-smelling Fish Sauce Cleanup Begins in Canadian Town

WHO:

AP News - The townspeople of St. Mary’s, approximately 300 people, and volunteer mayor Steve Ryan are involved in the cleanup.

AP News - Glenn Sharp is the owner of Sharp Management, the company overseeing the cleanup task.

WHAT:

AP News - A major cleanup operation has begun to remove the foul smell of rotten fish sauce from St. Mary’s.

AP News - The cleanup involves draining 110 tanks, each holding 3,000 gallons of fermented fish sauce.

AP News - The project costs 1.7 million Canadian dollars ($1.21 million), with the community taking out a loan of 198,000 Canadian dollars ($140,973) for its contribution.

WHERE:

AP News - The cleanup is taking place in St. Mary’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.

WHEN:

AP News - The cleanup operation began recently and is expected to continue over the next few months.

WHY:

AP News - The foul smell has been a problem for years, caused by the fermentation of fish sauce left behind when the Atlantic Seafood Sauce Company was abandoned over 20 years ago.

AP News - Mayor Steve Ryan expressed frustration that the federal government has not contributed to the cleanup costs.

HOW:

AP News - Workers will drain the tanks and mix the liquid with peat moss to absorb it, followed by using trucks with giant hoses to transport the material to a specially dug pit lined with high-density polyethylene. The pit will be covered with topsoil after the cleanup.

(UPDATED July 30, 2026 05:57 UTC)

A major cleanup operation is underway in St. Mary’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, where approximately 300 residents and volunteer mayor Steve Ryan are tackling the foul smell of rotten fish sauce that has plagued the town for years. The project, overseen by Glenn Sharp of Sharp Management, involves draining 110 tanks, each holding 3,000 gallons of fermented fish sauce, and is expected to cost 1.7 million Canadian dollars, with the community contributing through a loan of 198,000 Canadian dollars. Workers will mix the liquid with peat moss for absorption and transport it to a specially dug pit, which will be covered with topsoil once the cleanup is complete.