Magazine
Shimmering Blows and Colourful Flanks
In the soft October light and lingering morning chill, I spot a plume of mist rising beyond the bay in Les Escoumins. A few seconds pass, and the plume of condensation forms again. Finally, a dark back and a small dorsal fin emerge. Fin whale! This week, these giants are sharing the waters with white-beaked dolphins, minke whales, and belugas—not to mention humpback whales and seals along the shore. Even though November is right around the corner, the St. Lawrence…
Field Notes
Listening to the Waters of Our Backyard
Written by Emily Fortin I was three years old the first time I visited Tadoussac. While I can’t claim to…
25 Years of Evolution and Passion in the Field
It was 1999, and my life was about to change. I had just completed my studies in biology and was…
On board the Bella Desgagnés, sighting of a North Atlantic right whale
By: Valérie Filion head of the interpreting department aboard the Bella Desgagnés for the Marine Mammal Observation Network (MMON) My…
Field Report
Protecting Whales, One Conversation at a Time
As the beluga calving season in the St. Lawrence enters into full swing, so too do public awareness efforts. For…
Listening to Belugas by Hydrophone in Baie-Sainte-Marguerite
After several months of preparations, the Window on Belugas project has just reached a new milestone in Baie-Sainte-Marguerite thanks to…
A Rigorous Protocol for Studying Large Rorquals
Aboard the BpJAM (one of GREMM’s research vessels) with the Large Rorqual Project team, I scan the horizon in the…
Hot Topics
Round-up of 2025 North Atlantic Right Whale News
After being hunted for hundreds of years, the North Atlantic right whale currently faces a number of threats, including entanglements…
ROUND-UP OF 2024 NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE NEWS
After being hunted for centuries, today’s North Atlantic right whales face many challenges, including entanglements with fishing gear, ship strikes…
Round-up of 2023 North Atlantic Right Whale News
After being hunted for centuries, today’s North Atlantic right whales face many challenges, including entanglements with fishing gear, ship strikes…
Marine Mammal Emergencies
Beluga Mortality Report: 19 Carcasses Discovered in 2025
Between the start of 2026 and the release of this 2025 beluga mortality report, three carcasses have already been reported…
First Beluga Carcass of the Year Recovered in the Magdalen Islands
Sunday, January 18: The Marine Mammal Emergencies (UMM) telephone rings. Cédric Gascon, a technician and UMM responder for the past…
Beached Fin Whale: QMMERN Takes to the Field After Bp919 Found Stranded
On October 24, 2025, Marine Mammal Emergencies (UMM) received a call concerning a large dead whale stranded on the shores…
News
Beneath the Surface, with Dr. Jory Cabrol
Dr. Jory Cabrol is a research scientist at the Maurice Lamontagne Institute, a research centre run by Fisheries and Oceans…
Beneath the surface, with Élizabeth Melis
Élizabeth Melis is a whale research and rescue technician with the Campobello Whale Rescue Team, which is affiliated with the…
Beneath the surface, with Dre Anaïs Remili
Dre Anaïs Remili is a postdoctoral researcher in biological sciences at British Columbia’s Simon Fraser University, a scientific communicator, and…
Observations of the Week
Shimmering Blows and Colourful Flanks
In the soft October light and lingering morning chill, I spot a plume of mist rising beyond the bay in…
October Enchantment
Last Friday, the sky and the sea danced, as the misty breaths of whales mingled here and there with the…
Wrapping Up the Season with Some Thanksgiving Weekend Action!
This year’s Thanksgiving weekend was alive with the activity of whales, seals, and birds! Marine mammals are still lingering in…
Whale Q&A
Your questions about beluga reproduction!
The Whale Watch team and the team of naturalists at the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre (CIMM) regularly receive questions about…
Why did so many large rorquals visit the St. Lawrence this spring?
Early 2025 was a particularly intense period for observing large rorquals in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park. Whether it be…
A Smirk with a Purpose!
Belugas are known for their expressive faces, but what’s behind their endearing smirk? From an “O”-shaped mouth to water spitting…