Allied Whale
Based at the College of the Atlantic (COA), Allied Whale was founded in 1972 by COA faculty, staff, and students. Allied Whale runs field research projects in the Gulf of Maine from both the COA campus and Mount Desert Rock, a lighthouse station located 25 miles offshore from Bar Harbor. Students and staff participate in research projects all around the world. Allied Whale is a known leader in the development of research techniques such as photo identification of large baleen whales and other modern field and lab techniques.
Allied Whale is also authorized by NOAA Fisheries to respond to marine mammal strandings from Rockland, Maine to the Canadian boarder.
Allied Whale is our research partner and we have research assistants that participate in a joint internship program with Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company. They collect valuable data during whale watch trips. When you go whale watching, you are helping to support whale research and conservation.
They also have a wonderful Adopt-a-Whale program that helps to raise money for their research efforts.
Center For Coastal Studies
Is a non-profit based in Provincetown, MA that has extensive history in conducting research and outreach programs in the Gulf of Maine region. The work collaboratively with other research groups, government agencies, and those in local communities, including whale watch companies to promote conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems.
They curate the Gulf of Maine Humpback Catalog and are home base for the Marine Animal Entanglement Response Team. The Center for Coastal Studies is also well known for its North Atlantic right whale research program.
Friends of Maine Coastal Islands NWF
Founded in 2003, FOMCI’s mission is to help support the Maine Coastal Islands NWR system through public outreach, volunteers, and fundraising efforts. They are based out of Rockland, Maine and work collaboratively with Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company to promote seabird research and conservation. 
We talk with interns based on Petit Manan Island, which is the protected island part of the Maine Coastal Islands NWR we visit to see the puffins and other nesting seabirds. The summer interns/technicians keep a great blog about their experiences out on the Refuge Islands called Summer With The Seabirds.
Every July, Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co. and FOMCI host a benefit cruise as well as sell Puffin pins in our gift shop to raise money for FOMCI outreach and research efforts.
Gulf of Maine Marine Education Association
The Gulf of Maine Marine Education Association (GOMMEA) is a network of educators and scientists that work collaboratively to create connections between science and communities in order to better understand the Gulf of Maine. GOMMEA strive to create connections through education and experiences in the Gulf of Maine watershed.
Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company is a business member and provide a $10 discount to GOMMEA members.
Common Gulf of Maine Species
HappyWhale
Happywhale tracks individual whales throughout our world’s oceans. We believe that whale watching guides, naturalists and passengers are vital to our understanding of whales. Scientists can only be in one place at one time; by harnessing the power of millions of whale watching enthusiasts, we can expand our scientific knowledge exponentially. Our platform empowers whale watchers to photograph whales and tell their stories. As each of your whales are spotted around the world, the group will send you updates. You can track your whales on your personal Happywhale page. HappyWhale.com
New England Aquarium
North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog– consists of 771 documents right whales from 1935 to present. It is the official site for public use to identify North Atlantic right whales. The catalog is managed by the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life. Though over 700 individuals are cataloged, the North Atlantic right whale numbers are currently in the high 300’s and are considered critically endangered.
Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life– devoted to mitigate human impacts on the oceans through marine research and conservation. This includes their Marine Mammal Conservation Program and Wildlife and Ocean Health Program.
Maine Marine Educational Resources
The Department of Marine Resources’ Education Division provides educational services and materials to school children, teachers, and the general public. Staff are dedicated to developing a citizenry that has awareness and appreciation for the marine environment and its resources through programs at the Maine State Aquarium and Burnt Island Lighthouse. For additional educational services and materials including teacher training workshops, coloring pages, and lobster fishery information check out Maine’s Department of Marine Resources Education Website
Project Puffin
In 1973, the National Audubon Society started Project Puffin in order to help restore the Atlantic puffin population back to Maine’s coastal islands. Headed by Dr.Stephen Kress, this restoration project successfully reintroduced Atlantic puffins and other seabird species and continues to protect vulnerable species through conservation and education.
They have partnered with explore.org to educate the public about puffins through the webcam installed at Seal Island NWR. The live cams are active during the spring and summer, when puffins are nesting off the coast of Maine. Check out the different live cams include the Loafing Ledge WebCam and the Puffin Burrow WebCam!
Project Puffin also hosts a number of wonderful camps and educational programs. The Project Puffin Visitor Center is located in Rockland, Maine.
Right Whale Consortium
Started in 1986 as a collaborative data sharing group, the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium (NARWC) has grown to include more than 200 individuals from various research and conservation organizations, shipping and fishing industries, technical experts, U.S. and Canadian government agencies, and state and provincial authorities, all of whom are dedicated to the conservation and recovery of the North Atlantic right whale. The Consortium is internationally recognized and has been identified as a model for establishing other species-related consortia.
The Year of the Right Whale
The Year of the Right Whale is an initiative that strives to celebrate, educate and raise funds for North Atlantic Right Whales to ensure the species receives adequate protection by 2020 and beyond. For additional information see the Blue Ocean Society webpage.
Whale SENSE Outreach Information
We are the first and ONLY whale watching company in Maine to be certified by Whale SENSE. We believe strongly in protecting the whales we love and the many we know as individuals and by name. We have highly trained and experienced captains who handle the boat in a responsible way around whales. We follow and promote the NOAA Northeast Guidelines for Whale Watching. For more information about whale watching, the Atlantic Ocean, or resources for teachers and kids. See Whale SENSE’s Outreach Site.