Beneath the calm waters of Alert Bay, British Columbia, a quiet crisis has been building for decades. This short documentary follows a group of divers, scientists, and Namgis community leaders as they work together to remove lost fishing gear from the seafloor — restoring an ecosystem deeply tied to culture, history, and food security.

 

Filmed on location in Yalis (Cormorant Island), the story moves between past and present, tracing the legacy of industrial fishing and the long shadows it left behind. Haunting underwater imagery is paired with firsthand testimony, revealing both the scale of the damage and the resilience of a community committed to healing the ocean.

 

The film is a reflection on stewardship, collective action, and the fragile balance between people and place — told from beneath the surface, where the consequences are often unseen.