Whale watching and research

When combining whale watching and research, it gives us the opportunity to offer a unique and highly educational experience with the whales off Andøya. Over the years, the companies have collaborated on a number of large- and small-scale research projects to increase knowledge about whales and marine life off Andøya and the surrounding areas.

Located here in the Arctic, we are close to the continental shelf, feeding ground for the whales and a perfect location for our activities. The area where we do whale watching is unique in the world. Here, our guests have almost a 100% chance of seeing whales. This means that when we do research, we can achieve consistent, reliable results. That makes our area different from others—our research can be both efficient and effective. And because we do this in the same place where we welcome guests, we can transfer knowledge directly: helping visitors learn and understand more about whales and the ocean. Whale watching then becomes more than just “watching”—it becomes an experience of understanding.

Why is it important?

• Conservation impact: Whale research helps us understand population health, migration routes, feeding behaviour, and threats such as ship strikes, plastic pollution, or climate change. Without data, whales cannot be protected effectively.

• Scientific credibility: Research provides a scientific foundation that sets us apart from being “just tourism.” It shows we actively contribute to the long-term survival and well-being of whales.

• Local ecosystem knowledge: By studying whales, we also learn about the broader marine ecosystem, fish stocks, and ocean health—knowledge that directly links to the sustainability of coastal communities.

Linking to the Tourist Experience

This is where knowledge-based tourism begins:

• From emotion to understanding: Guests don’t just see whales—they understand them, thanks to insights from our research. Instead of only saying, “There’s a sperm whale,” we can explain: “This is a male. We first identified him in 1997, and he is a regular summer visitor. We know this thanks to our long-term photo-ID research.”

• Creating value: Many visitors want more than photos—they want meaning. When we share knowledge, they feel part of something bigger.

• Education as experience: We transform a boat trip into an educational adventure. This deepens the emotional connection and makes guests more likely to remember, recommend, and return.

• Tourism supports science: By showing that part of their ticket supports ongoing research, guests feel they are directly contributing to conservation.

Our Role

Whales are the connecting link to the ocean. Through tourism, we can create ambassadors—people who not only celebrate whales but also help protect them.

We strive to contribute to science by providing scientists and students access to our vessels for data collection on trips, access to our ID catalogue, and more. We are also engaged in several collaborations with universities and other institutions involving dedicated research trips. Our main focus is on studying the behavioral ecology of male sperm whales. The ecology of males after they leave the breeding grounds at lower latitudes is poorly understood compared to the social groups of females and their offspring in the breeding grounds.

Long-term photo-ID data form the baseline of our work, as following the occurrence and behavior of known individuals provides valuable insights into the ecology of the sperm whales we observe in the feeding grounds off Vesterålen.

Research on the ecology of male sperm whales
In February 2021 Whale2Sea launched a two-year project, funded by the Regional Research Council Nordland, in collaboration with professor Audun Rikardsen from Tromsø University and one of the pioneers in sperm whale research, Dr Jonathan Gordon from Marine Ecological Research Ltd, UK. The project, which has been expanding with new collaborations, focuses on the following aspects of sperm whale ecology:

• Habitat use (including seasonal differences), migrations, and diving behavior with the help of satellite telemetry and photo ID.

• Diet of the sperm whales (biopsy samples of skin and blubber, sampling of feces).

• Improving methods for acoustic detection of sperm whales to avoid unnecessary trips out to sea.

• Acoustic behavior of sperm whales, with a focus on social interactions and the context of slow clicks and codas.

• Depredation behavior—sperm whales taking Greenland halibut from longlines and gillnets. The aim is to document this behavior both visually and acoustically and to seek solutions together with fishermen.

• Pollutant levels.

• Determining the size structure and body condition of male sperm whales in the study area, with potential seasonal differences.

We are proud to be at the forefront of scientific work on male sperm whales and grateful for the opportunity to give our visitors fascinating insights into the life of the sperm whales we see off Andøya.

Research on long-finned Pilot whales and Risso´s dolphins
In recent years, the company has initiated work on long-finned pilot whales and Risso’s dolphins. We also contribute identification images and sighting records to the Norwegian Orca Survey. Pilot whales are studied using photo-identification as well as satellite tracking, camera tagging, and biopsy sampling in collaboration with the University of Tromsø and Akvaplan-Niva.

Risso’s dolphins are not an Arctic species, but they have been sighted off Andøya during the summer months since 2017. Their presence is likely related to warming oceans expanding the range of their prey species north of the Arctic Circle. The research involves photo-identification and sighting records.

Migration to breeding areas by male sperm whales Physeter macrocephalus from the Northeast Atlantic Arctic 
Written by: Marie-Anne Blanchet, Kit M. Kovacs, Tiu Similä, Carla Freitas, Zoë Morange, Ove M. Pedersen, Emma F. Vogel, Marten Bril, Guttorm Christensen & Audun H. Rikardsen. 2025

Seasonal changes in the feeding aggregation structure of male sperm whales in Northern Norway
Written by: Zoë Morange, Tiu Similä, Audun H. Rikardsen, Marie-Anne Blanchet. 2024

Aerial Photo-Identification of Sperm Whales.
Written by: Seán A. O’Callaghan, Fadia Al Abbar, Helena Costa, Rui Prieto, Martin Gammell and Joanne O’Brien. 2024

First description and Photo ID catalogue of the Risso's dolphin "Grampus griseus" (G. Cuvier, 1812) population off Northern Norway.
Bachelor Thesis. Written by: Alexander Eckerle

Photo-identification and seasonal occurrence of long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) off Vesterålen, northern Norway.
Master Thesis. Written by Elena Catasús Folgueras

Stomach contents of three sperm whales stranded on Andøya, northern Norway.
Written by: Tiu Similä, tore Haug, Lotta Lindblom, Christina Lockyer and Seán A. O'Callaghan. 2022