Witless Bay Ecological Reserve

The Witless Bay Ecological Reserve contains four islands-Gull, Green, Great, and Pee Pee-that teem with bird life during the seabird breeding season.

Atlantic Puffins in Flight

The reserve contains North America’s largest Atlantic Puffin colony. More than 260,000 pairs of the province’s official bird nest here during the late spring and summer.

Notably, Witless Bay Ecological Reserve also hosts the second-largest (after Baccalieu Island Ecological Reserve) Leach’s Storm-petrel colony in the world-more than 620,000 pairs come here to nest.

In addition, Black-legged Kittiwakes and Common Murres appear in the thousands.

The islands lie just a few kilometres off the east coast of Newfoundland’s Avalon Peninsula, between the communities of Bay Bulls and Bauline East, half an hour south of St. John’s. The reserve area takes in 31 km2 – 29 km2 of this is a marine area around the islands. Regulations govern the operation of boats inside the reserve during the sensitive nesting season (April 1-September 1).

Atlantic Puffin

Seabirds generally spend most of the year at sea and only return to land from May to August to breed and raise their young. For the most part, public observation of their activities must be done from boats-landing on the islands themselves requires a scientific research or special access permit.

Several licenced tour-boat companies operate out of the communities near the islands (see Services). Running spring through fall, these boat tours also provide opportunities to spot icebergs, whales, and other wildlife.

The Canadian Wildlife Service and Memorial University of Newfoundland carry out extensive research programs in the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve. Their studies of the birds’ behaviour and population trends, as well as the area’s ecology, help guide the management of all the province’s seabird reserves.

The Witless Bay Islands are part of the Maritime Barrens-Southeastern Barrens subregion (1.1 MB). The Islands were originally designated a wildlife reserve in 1964. They became the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve in 1983, three years after the Wilderness and Ecological Reserves Act was passed.

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How to get there

The communities near the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve are a half-hour to 45 minute drive (about 30 km) south from St. John’s, Newfoundland, along Route 10, the Irish Loop Drive. You can also drive from the Trans-Canada Highway (Route 1) and take the Witless Bay Line (Route 13) to the Irish Loop Drive (Route 10).

Black-Legged Kittiwakes

Commercial tour-boat operators exist in many of the communities near the islands. For more information, see Services.

Aircraft are prohibited from landing in the reserve, or flying lower than 300 metres, from April 1 to September 1. No tankers or vessels longer than 20 metres are permitted in the marine portion of the reserve.

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Activities

The major activity in the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve is watching and learning about seabirds. As public access to the islands is restricted, this is best done using the services of commercial tour boat operators. For more information, see Services.

Puffin Colony

Scientists and researchers may be permitted access to Gull Island if they obtain the necessary permits. Commercial operators are not currently permitted access to Gull Island. See the Seabird Ecological Reserve Visitor and Scientific Access Policies and Information Manual, visit the Permits page, or contact the Natural Areas Program for more information.

Commercial and recreational fishing can occur in the waters of the reserve. All provincial and federal regulations apply when fishing in the reserve. Boaters must be careful in the marine portion of the reserve so as not to disturb the birds.

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Services

Boat Tour

Boat tours are offered in the marine portion of the reserve by private operators under permit. As of 2021, the following boat tour operations have valid permits for operating in the reserve:

  • Captain Wayne’s Marine Excursions
  • Ecotours Zodiac Adventures
  • Gatherall’s Puffin and Whale Watch
  • Molly Bawn Whale and Puffin Tours
  • O’Brien’s Whale and Bird Tours

For more information on tour boat operations in the area, please consult the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Annual Travel Guide.

There are no services for the general public on the islands themselves. There are however, two research cabins (a provincial cabin on Gull Island and a cabin operated by Canadian Wildlife Service on Great Island) where researchers stay while working in the reserve.

 

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Fees and Schedule

There are currently no fees involved in obtaining the various permits.

For tour boat fees, make inquiries from the individual operators.

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Rules and Regulations

Biodiversity protection and habitat conservation are two of the key purposes of ecological reserves, so certain rules apply within all the reserves in the province.

The public can visit most ecological reserves for educational purposes or low-impact recreational activities, such as hiking or sightseeing. These activities are not allowed at the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve due to the significance and sensitivity of the site. Only people holding valid permits can land on the islands. Regulations also govern vessel activities in the marine component of the reserve.

The following activities are strictly prohibited in all wilderness and ecological reserves:

  • Disturbing, destroying, or removing plants or animals
  • Introducing plants, animals, or anything else to the reserve landscape
  • Forestry, mining (including exploration), hydro development, agriculture, new roads, tracks, or building construction
  • Driving off-road vehicles including all-terrain vehicles (ATVs)

In addition, in the Witless Bay Ecological Reserve:

  • No hunting is allowed in the reserve
  • Motorized boats are not permitted within 20 metres of the shore (100 metres for Green Island) during the breeding season (April 1-September 1)
  • Non-motorized boats can approach to 15 metres (50 metres at Green Island) from April 1-September 1
  • Licenced tour boat operators are exempt from the distance restrictions
  • Tankers or other vessels longer than 20 metres are not allowed in the marine portion of the reserve
  • Boaters approaching the islands must do so carefully, so as not to disturb the birds
  • Kayakers who paddle in the marine area of the reserve are not allowed to land on the islands
  • Commercial and recreational fishing in accordance with other applicable legislation is permitted within the marine waters of the reserve
  • Aircraft are not permitted to fly lower than 300 metres, take off, or land within the reserve from April 1 to September 1.

Read the official reserve regulations:

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