First trip out to sea

How great it feels to be on the water again! A new season begins… Back to the majestic St. Lawrence, the smell of salt in the air, the waves and the breathtaking landscapes off the coast of Tadoussac. It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon, with a light breeze from the north.

The joy of observing two minke whales and several groups of belugas.

The excitement of watching seabirds again: long-tailed ducks in such impressive numbers, brant, flocks of migratory Canada geese, pairs of common eider, raucous Bonaparte’s gulls… The only disappointment and the news of the day: thousands of dead fish at sea. Thousands of redfish are drifting along the tide rips, much to the delight of hungry seabirds. Below you will find my photos of the day and a video showing the extent of the redfish die-off, while bearing in mind that these images are just the tip of the iceberg. Researchers will probably tell us in the next few days the cause(s) of this impressive carnage. To be continued…

Note: A follow-up article entitled “Mortality in the Estuary” has been written on the subject of these redfish.

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Photos: © Renaud Pintiaux

GREMM research assistant from 2003 to 2009 and from 2012 to 2014, Renaud Pintiaux is a passionate observer and photographer. Year round, whether from shore or on the water, he takes every opportunity to observe marine mammals and birds in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park.