Research in the St. Lawrence Stalled This Summer

New public health measures have forced researchers to postpone or scale back some of their research activities. They therefore prioritized those that are part of long-term projects or for which an interruption would create a break in the continuity of data. For example, Dany Zbinden will continue the minke whale monitoring this summer that he has been carrying out for over 20 years. The usual protocol will be followed, but it will be accomplished with a smaller team and will debut in August.

For the GREMM director, the lockdown and arrangements needed for working from home required a substantial effort, which has put a serious wrench in the gears of the organization. Certain field departure dates have also been delayed due to the difficulty of obtaining research permits. At CERSI, researchers have had to deal with an additional three weeks of wait time to obtain approvals from the authorities for data collection. The team will still be able to maintain its calendar, but only if the labs remain open. They have also had to carry out their work without the usual help of numerous volunteers. As if that weren’t enough, slower-than-usual postal services are forcing them to transport their samples themselves from Sept-Îles to Montréal. The result is exhausting days for our small team, but “it’s better than simply cancelling everything,” opines Anik Boileau. As for Mériscope, the team is making the most of the time that had been budgeted for postponed projects by carrying out those that had initially been planned for the next few years, such as revamping the organization’s website.

All researchers have adapted their working techniques to comply with health measures. Everyone must thus respect the regulatory two-metre distance, an extremely difficult task in a tiny boat. And, of course, protective equipment is essential!

Despite the delays, research projects are moving forward. However, since it was impossible in some cases to collect as much data as usual, there will be a significant impact. “We won’t be able to catch up,” laments Dany Zbinden. “It’s a month and a half less in the field and that will be reflected in the data.”

Robert Michaud, who also oversees the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN), shares the same concerns. The Network provides data for several research projects, but the lockdown and limited response efforts have resulted in low numbers of carcass samples between April and July.

The three researchers evoked the same difficulties. Each of them has had to deal with the challenge of applying safety measures while maintaining the quality of data monitoring. However, they are confident they will be able to continue their projects in the years to come.

Donation – GREMM | Donation – Mériscope | Donation – CERSI