GREMM | About

Legends and children’s books are alive with animals as mysterious as they are magnificent. And amongst these creatures are whales! An impressive number of these giants inhabit the St. Lawrence. Here, as in all the world’s oceans, humans have made their populations more vulnerable: whaling historically, chemical contamination and noise pollution today, climate change tomorrow.

Since 1985, we have spent thousands of hours at sea with whales. In the course of these privileged encounters, we’ve learned to recognize many of them. Over the years, we have compiled veritable family albums that chronicle the stories of hundreds of whales, each of which has its own name. Our research projects are based on this long-term approach, while our educational programs are inspired by these stories, such as those of Griffon, Tic Tac Toe, and Tryphon.

The results of our research have provided a solid scientific basis for establishing marine protected areas in the St. Lawrence and for developing regulations aimed to foster a better co-existence with whales. We coordinate an emergency response network to assist whales in distress. We contribute to the training of master’s and PhD students. We share our passion with hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts for whom whales have become much more than the creatures of legends. GREMM’s activities are supported by a vast network of partners and collaborators. If you believe in giants like we do, discover how you can help us better understand them so that we can better protect them.

Robert Michaud, President and Scientific Director

Our mission

The mission of the Group for Research and Education on Marine Mammals (GREMM) is to increase the collective awareness of marine mammals and the scientific study of these animals in order to safeguard their future in the St. Lawrence for future generations.

Our science museum institution creates, collects, preserves, promotes, interprets and shares marine mammal knowledge in order to better understand these animals, raise awareness about them and better protect them.

Our vision

“The fate of whales is linked to the value we place on them.”

Getting to know them and diving into their fascinating universe are the best ways to safeguard their future.

“Through interpretation, understanding; through understanding, appreciation; through appreciation, protection” – Freeman Tilden, 1957.

Fascination, pleasure, and hope are more powerful than doom and gloom. We believe that encouraging people to get out and enjoy nature—whales in particular—will lead them to be more sensitive and committed to their conservation.

“Whales have a life expectancy comparable to our own and complex social lives.”

Understanding and protecting them will require the commitment of several generations. Human behavioural evolution takes time. Likewise, our projects and actions must be rooted in a long-term vision.

Our commitments

Our research projects and educational activities are aligned with our mission and designed to reach diverse audiences. To ensure we chart a consistent course, we’ve made the following commitments:

- GREMM and conservation

We share our knowledge and expertise with the scientific community, as well as with our governments, businesses and large project developers, environmental advocacy groups, the media, and the general public. When it comes to conservation, we prefer to work “with” rather than “against.”

- GREMM and whale watching

Ever since GREMM was founded, we’ve worked hand in hand with the whale-watching industry. Aware of the potential impacts that boats can have on whale habitat, we actively endeavour to better understand these impacts in order to improve practices, mitigate disturbance, and maximize the educational and awareness-raising value of our excursions.

- GREMM in the media

Over the years, GREMM has built a solid reputation with the media and become a recognized authority in the increasingly popular world of whales. Since speaking is a privilege, each of our remarks must be thoughtful and relevant.

- GREMM, art, and whales

Because we have big ambitions, we are always exploring different ways to bring whales into people’s lives. Because art can be a bridge between science and the public, we actively promote collaborative projects with artists.

- GREMM and Tadoussac

GREMM was favourably received and supported by the residents of Tadoussac, who most notably gave us access to a prime piece of property to build the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre (CIMM). As a token of our gratitude, we are making the CIMM available free of charge to everyone in the village as we aim to give back to the community.