Many studies have shown that travelling by boat causes the least amount of harm to the environment. As such, this mode of transportation can be used to attain the objectives for reducing greenhouse gas emissions set out in the Kyoto Agreement.
Groupe Dufour can also take pride in having adopted ecological practices. We have non-polluting boats, and our professional crew members have been specially trained to sail on the St. Lawrence River and Saguenay Fjord. They are fully aware of the marine flora and fauna living in these bodies of water and are committed to helping protect them.
Groupe Dufour also respects the code of ethics for sailing on the St. Lawrence River. This code establishes speed limits, distance requirements and angles of approach. We also respect the Marine Activities in the Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park Regulations, which govern whale-watching activities in the area.
Excerpts From These Regulations:
- The operator of a vessel shall not permit the vessel to approach a cetacean within a distance of less than 100 m (330 feet), if the vessel is a commercial vessel operating under a marine tour business permit, or within a distance of less than 200 m (660 feet), in the case of any other vessel.
- If a cetacean approaches within a distance of less than 100 m (330 feet) from a commercial vesselthat is operating under a marine tour business permit, or less than 200 m (660 feet) from any other vessel,the operator of that commercial vessel or that other vessel shall maintain it in a stationary position untilthe cetacean has dived towards the seabed or moved more than 100 m (330 feet) from that commercial vessel or more than 200 m (660 feet) from that other vessel.
- The operator of a vessel shall maintain a minimum distance of 400 m (1320 feet) between the vessel and any endangered marine mammal (e.g.: beluga).
- No person shall operate a vessel in the park at a speed greater than 25 knots.
- The operator of a vessel, other than a cargo ship, shall not operate the vessel at a speed greater than 10 knots when it is in the observation zone of another vessel or in an observation area (an observation zone is an area extending to a distance of one nautical mile from the vessel).
