Groupe Desgagnés and the ROMM : Pursuing a winning partnership for the better knowledge of our whales!

QUEBEC, June 1, 2016 /CNW Telbec/ - In 2015, Groupe Desgagnés had once more demonstrated its concern for environmental issues by engaging in a data collection program on cetaceans led by the "Réseau d'observation de mammifères marins (ROMM)". Based on the positive results achieved during that first year of collaboration, the 2016 season of data collection by the crews of Desgagnés's 18 vessels is now officially launched.

Nearly 283 marine mammal observations were collected by the ships' crews during their various trips in the salt waters of Quebec and of Eastern and Northern Canada, between early April 2015 and the very end of December that same year. They significantly enriched the ROMM database; alone, they accounted for almost 16.5% of the "whale data" transmitted by the network's dozen of observer members. In addition to surveying territories not yet covered by the ROMM observer members, exceptional data on rarely seen species was transmitted. Among others, black whale, killer whale and northern bottlenose whale observations were noted.

For Desgagnés and the ROMM, it was obvious that this successful collaboration was to continue. "From the inception of our involvement in 2015, the crews of the near-totality of our Canadian fleet demonstrated a keen interest in participating in this project. Desgagnés is proud to contribute to the increase of knowledge on whale habitats and is committed to continue in this direction," says Daniel Côté, Environmental Advisor for Desgagnés. A manual developed jointly by the ROMM and Desgagnés is available onboard each vessel to assist the crew in data collection, particularly to help them identify the species encountered.

In order to share the positive results achieved through this collaboration with other members of the marine industry, a joint presentation will be made by the ROMM and Desgagnés at this year's GreenTech Conference — Green Marine's ninth annual meeting — being held in Quebec City from May 30^th to June 1^st. "We would be happy to welcome other representatives of the marine industry following suit of Groupe Desgagnés in order to increase our knowledge of whale attendance in commercial navigation waterways and to contribute to the development of more appropriate safeguards," says Mrs. Esther Blier, General Manager of ROMM.

To visualize the observation data collected not only by Desgagnés but also by all observation members of ROMM since its establishment in 1998, we invite you to visit the St. Lawrence Global Observatory website at www.ogsl.ca.                                                                                        

Groupe Desgagnés Inc.

Groupe Desgagnés Inc., whose headquarters are in Quebec City, is a conglomerate that has specialized since the 19th century in marine transportation of liquid bulk, general cargo, dry bulk and passengers. Its activities also extend to ship repair as well as the rental and operation of heavy machinery. The company owns and operates a fleet of ships that navigate on the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence, the Canadian Arctic, the East coasts of Canada and the United States and all the seas of the world. With an annual turnover nearing 230 million dollars, Desgagnés creates approximately 1,000 jobs in high season with a payroll exceeding 50 million dollars.

Réseau d'observation de mammifères marins (ROMM)

The "Réseau d'observation de mammifères marins" (ROMM) is a non-profit organization based in Rivière-du-Loup, which is dedicated since 1998 to the conservation and enhancement of the St. Lawrence and its wildlife. ROMM works with integrated management and collaborates with various actors of the shipping industry in order to engage in a concerted effort to conserve the marine ecosystems.

SOURCE Groupe Desgagnés inc.

Sources : Esther Blier, General Manager, Réseau d'observation de mammifères marins, 418 867-8882 Ext 205, [email protected]; Daniel Côté, Environmental Advisor, Groupe Desgagnés Inc., 418 692-1000 Ext 1127, [email protected]