Allied Whale at the College of the Atlantic
For nearly two decades, Bar Harbor Whale Watch has partnered with , a non-profit marine mammal research organization based at the College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor. Every season, research interns work on the whale watch vessel to conduct research and outreach programs. When you come out on a whale watch with Bar Harbor Whale Watch you help to support this valuable research and whale conservation efforts.
What kinds of data is being collected?
- Locations of sightings to understand whale migration and distribution.
- Photo images of natural body markings on large whales such as humpback and fin whales for population and behavior studies. The images are cataloged in both the North Atlantic Humpback Whale Catalog and North Atlantic Fin Whale Catalog.
- Environmental variables such as wind direction, sea state, cloud cover, and sea surface temperate to provide information about general weather patterns observed during whale watch trips and when watching whales.
Allied Whale research interns create photo albums of the whales and other wildlife seen on our trips! Check out our recent sightings!
Center for Coastal Studies: Gulf of Maine Humpback Whale Catalog
The has been studying humpback whales since the 1970’s. We partner with both Allied Whale and Center for Coastal Studies to contribute data to the Gulf of Maine Humpback Whale Catalog. This research has provided information about individual whales, including gender, distribution, behavior, reproduction, associations, and human impact.
Since 2012, Bar Harbor Whale Watch has participated in Whale SENSE. This is a voluntary program offered to commercial whale watching companies in the United States Atlantic Region and Alaska. As the only Whale SENSE company in Maine, we are committed to responsible whale watching practices and ocean stewardship to ensure the protection of whales and other marine species.
Friends of Maine Coastal Island National Wildlife Refuge
On our boat cruises, we visit nesting islands for seabird species such as Atlantic puffins, terns, and gulls. These islands are part of the Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge, which help protect the islands and restore colonies of nesting seabirds. On our Puffin and Lighthouse Cruises, we talk with island technicians that help to manage and monitor the nesting colonies at Petit Manan Island. The technicians provide our passengers information about the seabirds and updates about the seabirds nesting on the island season-to-season!