Founded in 2003 under the name GEERG*, the St. Lawrence Shark Observatory (ORS) is dedicated to the study, awareness, and conservation of sharks in the gulf and estuary, known in Mi’kmaq as Magtogoek and in Innu-aimun as Wepistukujaw Sipo. ORS is both a research group and a registered charity, led by volunteer scientists and professionals from diverse backgrounds, united by a shared passion for sharks and a commitment that extends far beyond their professional and personal lives. In 2025, we proudly commemorate 25 years since our very first field expedition, a milestone that reflects our long-standing dedication to the sharks of the St. Lawrence. Over the course of our existence, we have achieved several shark “firsts” in Canada, and even worldwide, particularly in our groundbreaking work with the enigmatic Greenland shark. In 2022, we also founded the Canadian Shark Attack Registry, the first initiative of its kind in the country, to document interactions between sharks and humans in Canadian waters.

Since the 1990s, when sharks were scorned by public opinion and largely ignored by scientific research in the St. Lawrence, we chose to focus our attention on them and give them a voice. For two decades, our work unfolded in relative indifference and often in solitude. Today, with the unexpected return of the white shark to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, scientific and media interest has exploded.

Many still wonder: if sharks are dangerous, why help them? While public ignorance of their presence in the St. Lawrence is now a thing of the past, changing their reputation remains extremely difficult. To shift this perception, we believe that the best approach will always be knowledge and education. Sharks play an essential role in maintaining ocean balance, including in the St. Lawrence. Yet the lack of scientific resources and funding, combined with overfishing and generally negative public opinion, is driving their disappearance, with dramatic consequences for the marine environment.

Our mission is to share rigorous, respectful, and science-based information, free from speculation and sensationalism. As the first independent Canadian organisation and registered charity dedicated to sharks, ORS conducts innovative, non-invasive research that brings together field science, historical archives, and First Nations knowledge to build a comprehensive understanding of sharks, past and present, in the St. Lawrence.

Through its research, education, and conservation activities, ORS strives to reverse this trend in Québec, in Canada, and around the world. We are also dedicated to raising public awareness through talks and presentations, particularly in schools. We believe it is essential to speak to children, as they are the future custodians of sharks and the oceans.

To ensure the dissemination of reliable and accurate information, ORS favours press releases to inform the public and the media during urgent or important shark-related events or developments. This clear, written format avoids the misinterpretations and sensationalism too often associated with shark interviews. Our press releases reflect our most up-to-date scientific understanding and ensure that the message delivered remains factual and respectful, both to the public and to the sharks themselves.

ORS is neither a public body nor a government agency: we are an independent voice, guided solely by science, conservation, and respect.

Since 2011, we have been a registered charity (834462913 RR 0001), entirely volunteer-run and funded through donations. We invite everyone who shares our mission and wishes to help sharks to consider making a tax-deductible contribution in support of our research, outreach, and conservation efforts.

Explore the world of St. Lawrence sharks and discover why “fear and apathy bite deeper than any shark.”

*Greenland Shark and Elasmobranch Education and Research Group

At its heart, ORS is a team of scientists and experts from complementary fields, united by a shared determination to better understand and protect sharks. Passionate volunteers, they devote their time and skills to a cause that is often misunderstood: giving a voice back to these essential yet maligned predators.

Our members bring together diverse expertise in marine biology, oceanography, scientific diving, communication, education, mechanical engineering, and project management. This diversity allows us to combine scientific rigour with educational outreach and meaningful public awareness.

Although studying the sharks of the St. Lawrence could easily occupy a full-time team, ORS has no stable institutional funding. Every one of our activities, from field research to classroom presentations, relies on the dedication of volunteers committed to advancing science and changing how sharks are perceived.

Supporting ORS with a tax-deductible donation means directly helping this devoted team to continue its research, engage the public, and protect sharks in the St. Lawrence and beyond.

Shark observation cage at Brion Island. Photo © ORS | Davy Hay Gallant

Jeffrey Hay Gallant, M.Sc.

founder, scientific director, diving safety officer, board member

Paul Boissinot

logistics, diver, board member

Marc-André Gaudreau, Ph.D.

mechanical engineering, diver

Patricia Hay

accounting

Thomas Leszkiewicz, B. Sc.

research, diver, board member

Dalhousie University

Pelagios Kakunjá

M – Expertise Marine

Magdalen Islands

Magdalen Islands