North Shore

Our field station is located, in the province of Québec on the North Shore of the St. Lawrence, facing the Mingan Islands. These islands, now part of the Mingan Archipelago National Park Reserve, are within three miles of shore and are renowned for their distinctive limestone rock formations carved by ice and sea. The local waters between the Archipelago and Anticosti Island are teeming with small fish and zooplankton during the summer, which attracts the large rorqual whales that MICS has studied every year here since 1979.

As we head offshore and scan for spouts on the horizon, we have up-close views of smaller marine mammals such as grey seals, harp seals, harbor porpoises, and often extensive rafts of sea birds. Farther offshore we will encounter the large baleen whales including humpback, fin, minke and blue whales and we will work to identify individuals and understand how and why the animals may be utilizing the environment. 

If you want to join us and learn more about the whales of the St Lawrence, check our section How to get involve

To spend an entire week surrounded by biologists and get involved in our research, check out our section Whale Research Adventures