The waters of the Saint Lawrence and their biodiversity suffer in silence. Behind this muteness lies a troubling reality: nets, cages, and ropes, lost or abandoned, continue to capture, entangle, and sometimes even kill marine animals. For decades, the Gulf of Saint Lawrence has been a pillar of the fishing industry. Yet this activity is not without consequences. These fishing gears, though invisible once they vanish beneath the waves, continue wreaking havoc for years, disrupting the fragile balance of marine ecosystems.

Between 2020 and 2024, nearly 30,000 fishing gears were lost in Quebec’s waters. Yet less than 7% of this equipment—only 1,990 units—were recovered.
– Ministère des Pêches et des Océans

The first stage of the project consists in addressing the problem directly at its source by deploying a modular system designed to collect end-of-life fishing gear. The device is installed in the main ports of the Basse-Côte-Nord Territory, each of which has been thoroughly analyzed to discern its specific needs and adapt to local particularities. Beyond collection, the system seeks to raise awareness, educate, and highlight not only the fishing gear itself but also the unique context of each village. Thus, between each selected port, a harvesting network develops, culminating at the port of Blanc-Sablon, where fishing gear is stored, processed, and ultimately repurposed.

The second phase of the project aims to create a space dedicated to the research and transformation of fishing gear into raw material, located at the heart of Blanc-Sablon’s existing port zone. As a regional hub—the last stop of the Bella Desgagnés and the final port of the Basse-Côte-Nord Territory—the port occupies a strategic position. This intervention also provides the opportunity to revitalize the port by rehabilitating a currently vacant building and rethinking the public interface of the underdeveloped waterfront area. This transformation will not only energize its activities but also showcase the process of transforming fishing gear, contributing to awareness-raising and the valorization of marine ecosystems.

By staging fishing gear within an engaging architecture integrated into the landscape, the project opens a dialogue between human beings, nature, and the traces left behind. It is not merely about dealing with material remnants, but about restoring balance between human activities and the preservation of ecosystems. Far from being just a testimony to a problem, the architectural project becomes a driver of change: it raises awareness, mobilizes, and offers a tangible alternative to a cycle of destruction. By reimagining our relationship with end-of-life fishing gear, we are not only repairing the wounds of the past but also shaping a future where the waters of the Gulf of Saint Lawrence regain their balance.