Sharing the waters with belugas
Parks Canada's report on conservation from 2018 to 2023
- Conservation priority
- Restoration and recovery
- Location
- Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park, Quebec
Parks Canada and the Société des établissements de plein air du Québec, the co-managers of the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park, are working with multiple partners, including local and Indigenous communities, park users and whale-watching companies, to provide a safer and quieter environment for the St. Lawrence Beluga, and to protect and ensure the sustainable use of the marine environment.
Vessel traffic management measures developed jointly with users, combined with increased awareness efforts, have reduced disturbance levels, risks of collision between boats and whales, and underwater noise.
This collective work is protecting the critical habitat of the St. Lawrence Beluga. These efforts are essential in reestablishing the Beluga population, and for the protection of the feeding grounds of migratory whales.
Project highlights
- 98% compliance to the seasonal closure of Baie Sainte-Marguerite to navigation
- 135% increase in compliance with the speed reduction measures at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord
- 100% compliance by whale-watching companies with measures excluding navigation in the Upper Estuary Conservation Area
Two Belugas explore the rich waters of the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park. Photo: Renaud Pintiaux/Parks Canada
Context
The Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park was established in 1998 to safeguard the St. Lawrence Estuary population of the Beluga Whale, the southernmost population in the world. Located at the confluence of the Saguenay Fjord and the St. Lawrence Estuary, the marine park is world renowned for marine mammal observation, from both the shores and on the water. The area’s nutrient-rich waters support a high abundance of prey species, making it the heart of the Belugas’ critical habitat, as well as an important feeding ground for migratory whales.
The major sea lane linking the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean cuts through this high biodiversity habitat. The heavy shipping traffic, combined with the presence of a commercial whale-watching industry and pleasure crafts, impacts the whale populations. These marine activities increase underwater noise pollution and the risks of collisions between vessels and whales, and disturb vital whale activities such as feeding, socializing, and resting.
Results
Since 2018, Baie Sainte-Marguerite in the Saguenay Fjord has been closed to navigation between June 21 and September 21. This closure allows female Belugas to take advantage of the quieter waters to feed, rest, and care for their young. Protecting the place where these vital activities take place is crucial in improving the health of the Beluga population. Supported by promotional campaigns, awareness patrols on the water and at boat launching sites, and the development of new educational tools, compliance with this closure has reached 98%.
The closure regulations also include a new speed reduction zone at the mouth of the Saguenay Fjord, the busiest area of the marine park and the noisiest part of the Beluga’s habitat. Speed reduction is being tracked through an innovative approach that monitors vessel speeds based on Automatic Identification System (AIS) data. The main user in this area, the whale-watching industry, receives regular reports on their navigation speeds generated from AIS data, allowing them to improve their performance. Data shows that since the implementation of this feedback-based approach in 2021, compliance with the speed limit at the mouth of the river has risen from 40% to over 94%, reducing the risk and severity of collisions, as well as underwater noise.
In 2019, in collaboration with whale watching operators, the Upper Estuary sector of the marine park, which extends from Baie-Sainte-Catherine to Gros cap à l’Aigle in the Charlevoix region, was established as a conservation area. This part of the estuary is used intensively by female Belugas and their calves. With the addition of this conservation area, 44% of the marine park is now closed to commercial whale-watching excursions, increasing the protection of 21% of the Beluga’s critical habitat. In 2023, 100% of whale-watching companies complied with the measure by not navigating in this zone.
In the Lower Estuary, between Tadoussac and Les Escoumins, compliance with a voluntary speed reduction measure, which targets merchant ships and international cruise lines, has continued to improve. In 2023, work began on supplementary measures to reduce collision risks with other types of vessels, in order to expand the quiet zones around the whales.
“This project has enabled us to measure, for the very first time, a cultural shift, notably in how we navigate, based on the increased awareness of the importance of improving how we share the habitat in the St. Lawrence with whales, fascinating creatures who have lived here for thousands of years.” [Translation]—Cristiane Albuquerque, Ecosystem Scientist, Parks Canada
Video
Watch how the seasonal closure of Baie Sainte-Marguerite has benefited Belugas.
Transcript
Parks Canada Beaver Logo
A dark green illustrated map of Quebec shows an orange place marker over a light green shape of Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park. The map zooms in to focus on Sainte-Marguerite Bay and the Saguenay River.
The date “2016” is indicated in the top left corner. A dense cluster of green lines and blue dots appear throughout the Saguenay River. An illustration of a St. Lawrence Beluga along with a label at the bottom indicates that this data represents “beluga and boat distribution pre-area closure”. The blue dots are clustered where Sainte-Marguerite Bay meets the Saguenay River. The green lines are spread widely throughout the Saguenay River. A legend in the top right corner reveals that each dot represents a “Beluga group sighting” and each green line represents a “boat passage”. An asterisk appears at the bottom with text that reads “Boat passages have been reduced to 10%. The data is showing that the boat passages are forcing Beluga groups to stay concentrated in a small area.
The date changes to 2018. A red outline appears where Saine-Marguerite Bay meets the Saguenay River. This is the same area where the beluga group sightings are concentrated. The red outline indicates an area closure that is off-limits to boat passages.
The date changes to 2022, four years after the area closure. Boat passages are now more concentrated at the side of the Saguenay River opposite to Sainte-Marguerite Bay. The blue dots representing Beluga group sightings are now more spread across the Saguenay River.
See how Parks Canada is studying critical Beluga habitat in the Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park.
Transcript
Good morning, here is the Tadoussac Marina.
We have a really beautiful day!
The sea conditions are ideal, there is no wind,
so it's perfect for operations in the upper estuary.
[Text] The Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park is in the heart of critical habitat for at-risk St. Lawrence Estuary Belugas.
[Text] Parks Canada and Sépaq work closely with several partners and coastal communities to protect the belugas.
So today on the Alliance,
it’s a big day.
There are many people on board, so we will accompany them.
In fact, we're going to join them using our Zodiac, the Uapamekᵁ.
[Title] Studying Habitats to Better Protect Belugas, Saguenay–St. Lawrence Marine Park
Today, the work will be carried out in a really particular sector,
the upper estuary, which is a very important sector,
especially for belugas.
[Text] The upper estuary is a critical habitat for St. Lawrence Belugas. Females use it as a nursery to birth and care for their young.
[Text] In the Marine Park, Parks Canada scientists and their partners study things like food availability, underwater noise, contamination levels, and the presence of aquatic invasive species.
Our research vessel,
the Alliance, is about to arrive,
so, we’ll wait here in this enchanting environment.
So, we just joined the Alliance in the middle of the river,
in the upper estuary.
We will come on board, or even a little closer, to the operations
[Texte] The aquatic invasive species project is conducted in collaboration with Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
This is equipment that measures the
physicochemical properties of the water where the net was sent.
So we see information like temperature,
salinity, conductivity and the depth.
Aquatic invasive species are species that are not native to the
environment. To measure the presence of these aquatic invasive species,
we used a variety of techniques.
[Text] Monitoring indicators like aquatic invasive species helps us track changes to beluga habitat so we can implement measures to minimize their impacts.
Eliza will rinse well to make sure that everything flows into the bucket.
We have a sample of phytoplankton.
So from this water sample that was collected, we will find
DNA particles that can come from secretions,
fish scales, and feces from different organisms.
To date, no aquatic invasive species have been found
in the marine park.
[Text] Climate change and an increase in maritime transport create favorable conditions for aquatic invasive species to establish, meaning it’s essential to continue this monitoring.
[Text] The knowledge gained through this research and ecological monitoring since the creation of the marine park has made it possible to adapt protection measures for belugas.
[Text] See how Parks Canada protects endangered whales: parks.canada.ca/whales
Learn more
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