Baby belugas: Calves born in St. Lawrence this summer mean it's a critical boating safety period

Baby belugas are born after a gestation period of fourteen to fifteen months, and females give birth from June to September. (GREMM)

The St. Lawrence beluga population welcomes its calves in summer, and that's when the young mammals begin their social learning, a critical period for the future of the new arrivals, as the fjord and river also welcome hordes of recreational boaters.

As in previous years, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Parks Canada, the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM) and the Marine Mammal Observation Network (ROMM) are jointly leading the St. Lawrence Beluga Protection and Awareness Campaign.

The campaign, which will be conducted on the water, at public events, and online, aims to raise awareness among people in the beluga habitat about appropriate behaviours to adopt when in their presence.

In 2023, they reached out to more than 1,300 boaters, notably through joint boat patrols. They have been underway since July 21 and will continue until Aug. 4, with fishery officers and park wardens patrolling the estuary and fjord coasts to meet sailing, motorboat, kayak and paddleboard enthusiasts. They can also be seen out at sea, in areas popular with beluga whales and recreational boaters.

There will also be aerial patrols carried out.

Visits to marinas and wharves across Quebec are taking place from the Lower St. Lawrence to the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, to promote good boating behaviour in the beluga's critical habitat. The 400-metre distance rule applies at all times.

Beluga critical territory (Whales Online)An article published jointly by the partners on the Whales Online platform also outlines five actions to help protect the beluga.

Boaters also have access to a free "Navigating in Whale Habitat" online training course to learn more about beluga whales and other whale species and current regulations. 

- This report by Journal Le Manic/The Local Journalism Initiative was first published in French on July 23, 2024.