Climate change forces end of baby seal-watching tours on Quebec's Magdalen Islands

The company that has been organizing seal-watching excursions for 40 years on Quebec's Magdalen Islands is officially putting an end to the winter activity — one that has contributed to the international renown of the small archipelago. 

"We have officially decided to put this wonderful project, which the Château Madelinot and the Magdalen Islands have been hosting since 1985, on the back burner," said Château Madelinot co-owner Ariane Bérubé.

While the Madelinot hotel had never cancelled the activity before 2010, it has been forced to do so eight times in the last 15 years due to the lack of ice strong enough to safely transport tourists.

Earlier this year, the hotel announced it had put an end to its marketing efforts surrounding excursions to observe harp seal pups— known as whitecoats — but the company was ready to organize tours if solid ice formed in the next few years.

At the time, the hotel said it kept a list of customers willing to postpone their participation from one year to the next. However, the company has since changed its mind and is definitively putting an end to hopes of organizing the event again.

"It's really the unpredictability of operations that led us to make this decision, because there's a good investment of time and money in holding this event," said Bérubé.

"We're now informing customers that, unfortunately, due to climate change, we have to cease our activities."

The last whitecoat seal-watching tours date back to 2020. Since then, Bérubé and her team have been closely monitoring the changes in ice cover.

Although there has been ice at times, it has only lasted for a couple of days, compared to the three or four weeks they were able to operate in the past.

Major blow for tourism

The general manager of the Magdalen Islands tourism board is disappointed by the end of the activity.

"It's a major blow, because we have to recognize that whitecoat seal-watching was part of the DNA of the tourism industry," said Michel Bonato. 

He emphasized that this was the only tourism product that had greater prestige than the Magdalen Islands tourist destination itself.

"There were people who came to watch the whitecoats who didn't even know it was on the Magdalen Islands," said Bonato.

Bonato sees this decision as a stark reflection of climate change's growing impact on tourism, particularly on the Magdalen Islands.

Despite this setback, he remains optimistic that emerging niche experiences can boost tourism during the off-season, such as the arrival of winter cruises in 2025, as well as an increase in business conventions and film productions.

For its part, the Château Madelinot intends to promote the heritage of whitecoat seal-watching. Two photo exhibitions showcasing the activity are already on display in the hotel.

The Madelinot is also taking part in several studies to share its experience, including one conducted by the UQAM Chair of Tourism, which focuses on how tourism businesses can adapt to the challenges of climate change. 

"Watching the whitecoat seals will be a wonderful memory, and we'll be lucky to have experienced it in the Magdalen Islands," said Bérubé.