General distribution of humpback whales in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence

General distribution of humpback whales in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence General distribution of Humpback Whales in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence based on all identified whales from the entire MICS database (Mingan Island Cetacean Study). Additional information The MICS (Mingan Island Cetacean Study) has been collecting and compiling in a photo-identification catalogue, blue whale (and other type of whales) sightings for the western North Atlantic since 1979. Since 1987, the material and sampling protocol has been being relatively stable, neither random nor systematic. Field work is conducted abord inflatable boats. Because the whole Gulf ot St. Lawrence cannot be thoroughly studied, MCIS conducts surveys in known whale aggregation areas. The spatial effort is also weather dependent and is mainly constrained by wind direction and strength. Therefore, the study area is not homogeneously covered. Each whale observation is associated with a picture that allows individual identification based on the animal's pigmentation pattern. For more details consult the mentionned report: Gagné, J.A., Ouellet, P., Savenkoff, C., Galbraith, P.S., Bui, A.O.V. et Bourassa, M.-N. Éd. 2013. Rapport intégré de l’initiative de recherche écosystémique (IRÉ) de la région du Québec pour le projet : les espèces fourragères responsables de la présence des rorquals dans l’estuaire maritime du Saint-Laurent. Secr. can. de consult. sci. du MPO. Doc. de rech. 2013/086. vi + 181 p. 2023-07-11 Fisheries and Oceans Canada Oceans-QC@dfo-mpo.gc.ca Nature and EnvironmentScience and TechnologyDistributionSightingHumpback WhaleMegaptera novaeangliaeMarine mammalsSt. Lawrence EstuaryGulf of St. LawrenceÎles de MinganGaspésieCôte-NordStrait of Belle IsleEarth sciencesMarine biologyAquatic wildlife Humpback whale observationsCSV https://pacgis01.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/FGPPublic/HumpbackWhales_RorqualBosse_Observation/HumpbackWhales_RorqualBosse_Observation_DonneesData.csv Humpback whale observationsSHP https://pacgis01.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/FGPPublic/HumpbackWhales_RorqualBosse_Observation/HumpbackWhales_RorqualBosse_Observation.zip Data DictionaryCSV https://pacgis01.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/FGPPublic/HumpbackWhales_RorqualBosse_Observation/DataDictionary_DictionnaireDonnees_Humpback.csv Humpback whale observationsESRI REST https://gisp.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/arcgis/rest/services/FGP/HumpbackWhales_RorqualBosse_Observation/MapServer/0 Humpback whale observationsESRI REST https://gisp.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/arcgis/rest/services/FGP/HumpbackWhales_RorqualBosse_Observation/MapServer/0

General distribution of Humpback Whales in the Estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence based on all identified whales from the entire MICS database (Mingan Island Cetacean Study).

Additional information

The MICS (Mingan Island Cetacean Study) has been collecting and compiling in a photo-identification catalogue, blue whale (and other type of whales) sightings for the western North Atlantic since 1979.

Since 1987, the material and sampling protocol has been being relatively stable, neither random nor systematic. Field work is conducted abord inflatable boats. Because the whole Gulf ot St. Lawrence cannot be thoroughly studied, MCIS conducts surveys in known whale aggregation areas. The spatial effort is also weather dependent and is mainly constrained by wind direction and strength. Therefore, the study area is not homogeneously covered.

Each whale observation is associated with a picture that allows individual identification based on the animal's pigmentation pattern. For more details consult the mentionned report:

Gagné, J.A., Ouellet, P., Savenkoff, C., Galbraith, P.S., Bui, A.O.V. et Bourassa, M.-N. Éd. 2013. Rapport intégré de l’initiative de recherche écosystémique (IRÉ) de la région du Québec pour le projet : les espèces fourragères responsables de la présence des rorquals dans l’estuaire maritime du Saint-Laurent. Secr. can. de consult. sci. du MPO. Doc. de rech. 2013/086. vi + 181 p.

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Contact Information

Delivery Point: 850, route de la Mer, P.O. Box 1000

Administrative Area: Quebec

Country: Canada

Electronic Mail Address: Oceans-QC@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

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