A Former Fisherman Is Bringing New Life to Canada’s Harbors, One Cleanup at a Time

Sean Bath once made his living searching the ocean floor for spiny sea urchins. Today, he dives with a different purpose: lifting tires, plastics, and discarded fishing equipment from the bottom of Canada’s harbors.

Bath, a fisherman who has openly recognized his own past role in the litter problem, has turned that awareness into action through the Clean Harbors Initiative. What began as a personal mission has grown into a hopeful effort to restore coastal waters and inspire others to care for the sea.

Years ago, Bath would notice debris resting on the seabed while he worked. Tires that had slipped from boats or wharves especially bothered him. Over time, he began to see the larger picture, including how common fishing practices could contribute to the waste collecting beneath the surface.

That realization became a turning point. In 2018, Bath launched a major cleanup in Bay Roberts harbor, removing 15,000 pounds of trash from the water. His goal was not only to clean the harbor, but also to draw attention to the serious impact of “ghost gear,” the lost or abandoned fishing equipment that adds huge amounts of plastic to the ocean each year.

This forgotten gear can also be deadly for marine life. Nets, lines, hooks, and traps left behind in the water can entangle sea creatures, causing injury or death. By bringing the issue into view, Bath has helped more people understand that what is out of sight beneath the waves still matters deeply.

For years, keeping the Clean Harbors Initiative afloat financially was difficult. Bath had to work hard to raise enough money for boats, divers, and equipment. A bright shift came after a documentary crew followed his work for a year, creating Hell or Clean Water, which premiered at Toronto’s Hot Docs festival in the spring of 2021.

After the documentary, public support grew in a meaningful way. Donations increased, allowing Bath to hire another boat and diver and easing the financial pressure that had long surrounded the project.

With renewed momentum, Bath has expanded his efforts beyond underwater cleanup. He is also turning attention to beach cleanups, which are less expensive, safer, and can make an immediate difference along the shoreline.

A recent outing showed just how valuable that shift can be.

“We went to Long Harbor with the intention of diving, but the visibility was poor and it just wasn’t safe,” Bath told CBC News.

“So we decided to expand into cleaning the beaches at St. Croix. Each day we were out there, we were able to collect about three boatloads full of plastics. It’s a sustainable way to do cleanups because it doesn’t require any fuel.”

Bath’s journey is a heartening example of how someone can move from contributing to a problem to becoming a force for repair. Through determination, honesty, and steady work, he and his team are helping Canada’s harbors become cleaner, healthier places for marine life and coastal communities alike.