The St. Lawrence River and the mouth of the Saguenay River are a favorable place to meet whales. For years they have chosen to come and feed and fatten up before leaving to migrate in winter. The oceanography of the river allows for an important concentration of plankton, colliding on a slope at the mouth of the Saguenay River, opposite Tadoussac. The Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park was created in 1998, encompassing Grandes-Bergeronnes, Tadoussac and Les Escoumins.
Here, the water is almost as salty as in the ocean and tons of nutrients are deposited on the bottom. Brought to the surface by a tide-influenced current, the plankton proliferates and begins its food chain. Pelagic fish feed on it and are then eaten by whales.
About twenty species are found in the St. Lawrence. More frequently, fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus), minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) are observed on each trip. It is common to see the first or the second feeding on the surface, in front of tourists armed with their cameras.
The region lives essentially from tourists. In 1995, sea observation brought in 51,000,000 Ca$ for 300,000 visitors. The double was recorded in the year 2000 and the curve does not cease being exponential.
In October 2000, the Marine Park and all those involved in AOM (Activities of Observation at Sea), as well as research organizations, submitted regulatory proposals to the government. One of them concerns the beluga: boats will be obliged to stay at a distance of 400 meters. In addition, a mandatory permit will be issued to 54 boats in the marine park. A fine of up to 100'000 Ca$ will be imposed for any violation of the Saguenay - St. Lawrence Marine Park Act.
We have known for a long time that belugas accumulate toxic contaminants in their tissues. Located at the bottom of the food chain, they ingest highly contaminated fish and invertebrates.
By examining the tissues of dead animals, they found high concentrations of lead in the muscles and liver, DDTs, PCBs and organochlorines, high levels of mercury, tumors and cancers. The results showed that belugas are 100 to 1'000 times more contaminated than their Arctic neighbors!
After nursing, the calves are contaminated by their mothers and the cycle starts again. Also, some contaminants have an immunosuppressive effect. However, scientists remain cautious about the effects of these pollutants. Blood samples cannot be taken from live animals, unless a beluga is caught alive in a net by accident. In this case, blood analysis would be done on the visible veins of the tail. It has been possible in the Arctic to capture belugas with nets, to take cells and to test them against contaminants similar to those of the St. Lawrence. Polluting fumes, insecticides used in agriculture, petroleum residues, hydrocarbons, tin-based hinges and, in another context, sport fishing, interfere with marine mammals.
Efforts have been made by industries but it is still the large factories located on the shores of the great American lakes that pollute.
Beluga counts have been controversial because the aerial method did not take into account subsurface species.
Now, with the line transect method + a 15% factor, the estimates will be restored. But it will take many years to confirm the number and give an accurate estimate! Currently, between 800 and 1'200 belugas frequent the St. Lawrence. About 250 individuals are photo-identified by the GREMM.
The same photo identification work was carried out on fin whales, minke whales, blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus), sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) and humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae).
Between 1986 and 1996, about 200 fin whales were photographed and the study continues until this year. It is important to know that 4 distinct parts are retained to identify them: the chevron, the flank, the dorsal and the caudal peduncle. The coloration of the peduncle is more important on the right side of the head, identical to the right white mandible. At the beginning of the 80's, only the right flank was photographed in fin whales, because of its obvious pigmentation, but the GREMM team then decided to take both sides. Since then, the photographs prove that both sides can provide valuable information.
The same team, that of the Saguenay - St. Lawrence Marine Park and the Maurice Lamentagne Institute, followed 25 fin whales during the summer with a transmitter beacon attached to their backs. They have observed that their activities differ between day and night. During the day, the whales engage in deep U-shaped dives at the head of the Laurentian Channel. Each time preceded by short dives, including V-shaped dives. During the night, they feed at the surface, which is normal due to the rise of krill. This study is a world first, when we know that whales like to spend more than 90% of their time under water.
On the other hand, the team found that marine traffic had an influence on their feeding activity. Whales encounter noise pollution and therefore spend less time at depth to target their prey.
The St. Lawrence River is a unique place for observation and study. We can learn a lot from the research, laws and preventions of this country to protect cetaceans.
Even if we are reluctant to develop purely tourist excursions for whale watching in the Mediterranean (and particularly in the sanctuary), we can combine our work. The problem of industrial and noise pollution and some of the cetacean species we encounter are identical.
The St. Lawrence River is a unique place for observation and study. We can learn a lot from the research, laws and preventions of this country to protect cetaceans.
Even if we are reluctant to develop purely tourist excursions for whale watching in the Mediterranean (and particularly in the sanctuary), we can combine our work. The problem of industrial and noise pollution and some of the cetacean species we encounter are identical.
Sources and recommended bibliography:
(1) Regional Workshop on Marine Mammal Observation Activities, Summaries of Scientific Research Projects, Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park, May 1998.
(2) Les Baleines du Saint - Laurent, La Recherche et l'Education : un passeport pour le XXIème siècle, GREMM, 1998.
(3) Newsletter "Le Souffleur", since 1989, GREMM.
(4) Simard Yvan, Comment la mer nourrit-elle les baleines à Tadoussac ou Le pourquoi océanographique de la visite estivale des rorquals dans l'estuaire maritime du Saint - Laurent, à la tête du Chenal Laurentien (Tadoussac, Les Escoumins, Grandes - Bergeronnes), L'Euskarien, Les Sciences de la Mer, p.33 à 38, été 1994.
(5) Rossignol Anne, L'estuaire maritime et le golfe du Saint - Laurent, Camet Océanographique, INRS - Océanologie, 1998.
(6) Michaud Robert, Rencontre avec les Baleines du Saint - Laurent, GREMM, 1993.
(7) Fontaine Pierre - Henry, Whales of the North Atlantic, Biology and Ecology, Editions Multimondes, 1998.
(8) Robert M., Vézina A., Rondeau N. and Vigneault Y., Distribution annuelle et caractérisation préliminaire des habitats du beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) du Saint - Laurent, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Canadian Technical Report of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, No 1756, September 1990.
(9) Pippard L., Status of the St. Lawrence River Population of Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas), Canadian Field - Naturalist 99 (3): 438 - 450, 1985.
(10) Lesage Véronique and C.S. Kingsley Michael, Updated Status of the St Lawrence River Population of the Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas), Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, 1998.
(11) Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park Marine Activities Regulations, Legislative Basis, Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park Act, Department of Canadian Heritage, Canada Gazette Part 1, 28 October 2000.
(12) Saucier François and Cabana Anne Marie, Les eaux du Saint - Laurent - Guide d'interprétation scientifique du Parc Marin du Saguenay - Saint - Laurent, Ocean Sciences Division, MLI, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, October 2000.
L'Écho des Baleines - Bulletin Suisse du naturaliste Cétologue - Swiss Cetacean Society - N°10, winter 2000 - 2001
Tadoussac, Quebec / Canada, October 2000
by Julien Marchal
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