Relais Nordik and Desgagnés :
a commitment to sustainable tourism
Relais Nordik has adopted a series of eco-responsible measures, in particular to protect the biodiversity of its navigation area, the estuary and the Gulf of St. Lawrence, and to reduce its ecological footprint. By transporting our passengers to the end of Quebec, we hope to encourage them to become ambassadors who respect these regions. We are proud to actively participate in the collection of data for various research.
A member of the Green Marine, we collaborate with the Marine Mammal Observation Network and have received the Ici on recycle Performance + certificate.
Our collaborations and research projects
Marine Mammal Observation Network (ROMM)
Relais Nordik has been collaborating for several years with the Marine Mammal Observation Network by reporting sightings of whales and marine mammals during navigation in order to better understand their movements and protect them. In addition, we hire ROMM guide-interpreters to lead training and whale watching sessions for guests on the Bella Desgagnés.
MARS Project
The Bella Desgagnés is proud to participate in the MARS project : a marine acoustic research station in the St. Lawrence. This research allows the acquisition of data on the noise footprint of ships passing through the estuary of St. Lawrence. This unique project, co-directed by the Rimouski Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMER) of the Université du Québec at Rimouski (UQAR) and the Innovation Maritime Research Centre (IMAR), will help identify the direct causes of noise on board ships to find solutions to protect the marine mammals in the St. Lawrence.
Our certifications
Green Marine
Relais Nordik (Groupe Desgagnés) is a member of Green Marine, which is a voluntary environmental certification program for the North American marine industry. It is a rigorous, transparent and inclusive initiative that targets priority environmental issues through 14 distinct performance indicators. We obtained the Excellence and Leadership rating for aquatic invasive species, air emissions, greenhouse gases and waste management.
ICI on recycle
The Bella Desgagnés received the Performance + certificate from the Ici on recycle program for having obtained an advanced level in the management of its residual materials. The measures concern the directives and policies in place, reduction at the source and reusing in order to limit the production of residual materials and to recycle.