What are the whale watching boats doing?

It is essential that we get a better understanding of the behaviour of whale watching boats in order to manage this industry in the area between Tadoussac and Les Escoumins.

To go through the looking glass

Since 1985, researchers have been boarding whale watching boats and systematically noting their positions and principal activities. As well, they record the number of boats and whales in the vicinity. In this way they have managed to document the evolution of the situation and measure the effects of management strategies such as the Marine Activities in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park Regulations .

In short·      

Boats tend to congregate in three zones where most of their observations are directed toward fin whales . Their behaviour is influenced by the distribution of fin whales and the presence of other species like the blue whale. Other important factors include schedules and the size and composition of the fleet. The content of tours seems to be more diversified since the summer of 1998, in keeping withrecommandations set forth by the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park and the whale watching industry.

News from the field :

Of whales and boats (2004)

The Behavioural Ecology of Boats (2003)

Fishing for Sightings (2002)

Project collaborators:

Robert Michaud, of GREMM, for Parks Canada.

Other research projects