Research: Dedicated to scientific investigation of marine life in the Bay of Fundy with emphasis on threatened and endangered marine mammals such as the Harbour Porpoise and Right Whale.
and Education: through interpretative displays, scientific and popular reports, lectures, slide presentations, and web site.
to Promote Conservation of the marine ecosystem in the Bay of Fundy.

The GMWSRS has a proven track record of community-based stewardship/conservation initiatives and was awarded a Gulf of Maine Visionary Award by the Gulf of Maine Council in 2001.  Our researchers are part of a highly trained international team with expertise in many fields. Numerous projects are underway at any given time, primarily in the summer/fall period.  Most of our researchers also conduct field studies elsewhere, or are enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs; however, our managing director lives on Grand Manan and is involved in local community efforts and activities. We welcome visiting scientists to participate in our programs or conduct their own research from our facility. We also co-operate with researchers who are unable to come to our facility by collecting samples for them. Volunteers are an integral part of our daily operations.
 

The Harbour Porpoise Release Program (HPRP) was developed by the GMWSRS and has been assisting Grand Manan weir fishermen with the safe release of porpoises since 1991. The program is a collaborative effort between local fishermen, industry, conservation biologists and community organisations whose shared goal is to encourage practices within the herring weir fishery that promote the conservation and recovery of harbour porpoises in the Bay of Fundy.  The program  has also been beneficial in the development of protocols for the safe release of large whales such as minke, humpback and right whales. In addition we are involved in right whale conservation efforts including the Canadian Right Whale Recovery Plan and Implementation, large whale disentanglement network, wildlife environmental emergency plans and whale watch ethics.  We also support seabird monitoring projects, Fundy Bird Observatory, harbour porpoise research and public outreach.  The latter is partially through the Gaskin Museum of Marine Life, a celebration of the lower Bay of Fundy and its biodiversity, focusing on some of the more charismatic species, such as the right whale.  We also offer the Gaskin Fellowship each summer for local students to gain experience in marine biology.

Gulf of Maine Visionary Awards Each year, the Council presents ten Visionary awards -- two per jurisdiction (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts). “Visionaries” are recognized for innovation, creativity and commitment to marine protection. Businesses, environmental organizations, and individuals that are making a difference to the health of the Gulf of Maine are eligible for nomination. Activities nominated may be of a scientific, educational, conservationist, or policy nature. The activity might be a public awareness effort, a specific grassroots action, a manufacturing change that benefits the marine environment, or simply a change in business practices to address environmental concerns. Award Winning Work On December 5, 2001 in Saint John, New Brunswick, the Gulf of Maine Council announced its 2001-2002 Visionary and Longard Volunteer award winners. Presenting the awards on behalf of the Council’s 2001-2002 Secretariat, the New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government, were Deputy Minister Byron James and Kim Hughes. One of the New Brunswick Visionary Award recipients was the Grand Manan Whale and Seabird Research Station (GMWSRS), honoured for its important contributions to our ability to understand and protect marine mammals and seabirds living in our Gulf of Maine waters.

Our facility is houses researchers during the summer and our natural history museum.  It is conveniently located across from the ferry ticket office in North Head, Grand Manan.

Part of our funding each year comes from donations from interested and concerned Friends of the GMWSRS. We are grateful for all contributions and hope that we can continue to reciprocate the friendship.

For much of our scientific research, we rely on grants from other charitable organizations and government, and donations from businesses and Friends.  Funding sources for the preceding year and what they funded are outlined in our annual newsletters (in Publications) including a list of our Friends.   We have also summarized the source of grants received in the following table:
 

Grants for Scientific Research, Summer Students, Programs		2007	2006	2005	2004	2003	2002
Ark Angel Foundation			Y
Bird Studies Canada’s James L. Baillie Memorial Fund		Y	Y
Canadian Whale Institute			Y	Y
Connors Brothers Ltd.		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Down to Earth Conservation and Education		Y	Y	Y
Fairmont Algonquin			Y	Y
Fundy Community Foundation		Y
Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk			Y	Y			Y
Human Resources Development  Summer Career Placements		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
Humane Society of Canada			Y
IFAW - Canada & US		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y
McLean Foundation		Y
Environmental Trust Fund  (Your environmental trust fund money at work)			Y			Y	Y
Student Employment Education Development				Y	Y		Y
New Brunswick Wildlife Trust Fund		Y	Y		Y	Y	Y
Royal Caribbean International				Y
Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society		Y	Y	Y	Y	Y	Y

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gmwsrs.org Page revised January 3, 2008 GMWSRS 24 Route 776, Grand Manan, NB, Canada E5G 1A1 info@gmwsrs.org © Grand Manan Whale & Seabird Research Station Inc.