Blue Whales Between Franquelin and Sept-Îles

“Through my binoculars I could clearly see three large spouts from the beaches in Sept-Îles this morning, a little east of Cayes de l’Est. Given their height, I would say they were blues,” explains a local resident and marine mammal aficionado. “One individual seemed to be heading east [while] the other two lingered in the same area. They were coming up to breathe every ten minutes or so.” He also mentions the presence of numerous birds offshore. Near Franquelin, there was also a breath on the horizon betraying the presence of a blue whale, perhaps even two according to one North Shore resident. Groups of harp seals were also spotted in the area. In Tadoussac, a harbour seal was swimming in the bay on January 31.

During the colder months, the presence of whales in the St. Lawrence varies depending on the species. Belugas are permanent residents in our waters, though their distribution is not the same in every season. Aerial surveys have shown that in winter, they leave the estuary and move toward Pointe-des-Monts. They can also be observed along the Gaspé coast, as well as in the Sept-Îles region and Jacques Cartier Strait between Anticosti Island and the north shore.

Humpbacks, on the other hand, generally migrate to tropical waters to breed and calve. Some individuals, however, particularly young bulls, may remain in the St. Lawrence throughout the winter.

Fin whales, on the other hand, preferring more temperate waters, are present until December and return as early as March. One study concluded that they have varied migration trajectories, but generally gravitate toward warmer waters. Some go as far as Bermuda while others stay in the Gulf of Maine.

The presence of ice has an impact on the presence of certain species, including blue whales, because it can hinder their ability to breathe and move. It is therefore probably due to the sparse ice cover that the spouts of these giants have been visible from our coasts of late.

In conclusion, although some species do indeed migrate to warmer waters, the St. Lawrence continues to harbour a certain diversity of marine mammals through the winter months.

Thanks to all our collaborators!

Special thanks go out to all our observers who share their love for marine mammals with us! Your encounters with cetaceans and pinnipeds are always a pleasure to read and discover.

On the water or from shore, it is your eyes that give life to this column.

Diane Ostiguy
Élizabeth Melis
Stéphane Pagès
Renaud Pintiaux
Pascal Pitre
Andréanne Sylvain
Marielle Vanasse
Patrick Weldon

And to all the others!

Additionally, we would like to acknowledge the following teams that also share their sightings:

Sept-Îles Research and Education Centre (CERSI)
Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM)
Marine Mammal Observation Network (MMON)
Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network (QMMERN)
Mingan Island Cetacean Study (MICS)

Would you also like to share your observations?

Have you seen any marine mammals in the St. Lawrence? Whether it’s a spout offshore or just a couple of seals, drop us a line and send your photos to [email protected]!