North Coast Cetacean Society

The North Coast Cetacean Society – (NCCS) was founded in 2001 and is a non-profit charitable whale-research organization that has 23 years of dedication towards research education and the protection of whales along the north and central coast of BritishColumbia. With the support and permission of the Gitga'at First Nation of Hartley Bay NCCS operates a whale research station along the coastal regions that surround the Great Bear Rainforest of British Columbia. This station focuses on the populations and habitat use of humpback whales fin whales and orca. Our research includes both land and boat-based whale surveys drone surveys and acoustic monitoring of the area through an underwater hydrophone network that enables us to localize the travel route of whales. In 2001 NCCS signed a protocol agreement with the coastal First Nation community of the Gitga’at of Hartley Bay in 2016 with the Kitasoo/Xai’Xais of Klemtu and Heiltsuk of Bella Bella to work in partnership to protect whale habitat. NCCS continues to facilitate an internship program that is open to students worldwide and additionally we operate an effective awareness program that informs recreational and ecotourism vessels in the area of the proper whale watching protocols that must be followed to ensure the safety of whales within the region. We have developed strong partnerships with coastal First Nation communities the Coastal Guardian Watchmen program as well other research organizations focused on protecting marine space for whales.The mandate of NCCS is to strengthen these valuable partnerships to combine diverse layers of experience in the specialized field of cetacean monitoring. In 2020 NCCS developed and is leading the BC Wide Hydrophone Network project (BCCHN). This is a collaborative project between coastal First Nation communities and NGOs to determine habitat use of whales along the entire coast of BC under one platform. The project will also determine the impact of vessel noise on the da