Mission: Aboard the Blue Fish Explorer guests take part in a “reverse aquarium” experience on the Ottawa river, providing youth and their families with the chance to engage in hands-on citizen science.

Vessel: The fully accessible Blue Fish Explorer comfortably accommodates up to six guests and is operated by a certified captain with the support of trained outdoor guides. The Explorer’s platform consists of a Ranger Reata 223F tri-toon vessel powered with a Mercury 150 hp outboard and Ulterra 80 lb electric trolling motor. State-of-the-art sonar, cameras and GPS display bottom structure, fish habitat and fishes over three large high-definition screens.

Route: The Explorer travels a segment of the Ottawa River from Victoria Island to the west and the Rideau Falls to the east, visiting a total of eight waypoints. Each expedition lasts approximately 100 minutes in addition to loading and unloading – 10 minutes each.

Frequency and Timing: Up to three expeditions per day, with operations seven days a week during peak demand (i.e. July – August). Delivery during the shoulder seasons (May-June and September-October) are based on bookings. Timing of loading and turn-around is 8: a.m., 10: a.m., 1: p.m. and 3: p.m.

Citizen Science: Trained outdoor guides aboard the Explorer engage youth to use water testing equipment to collect and report seven variables essential to track the health of the Ottawa River’s water quality reported through the Water Ranger App.

Fish Health: Outdoor guides instruct youth on how to safely capture, assess and successfully release fishes in good health. Species are identified and any abnormalities are documented using photos and text and reported to scientists using the Fish Health Tracker Tool.

Multi-Media: Pre-recorded audio / video interstitials 2-4 minutes in length are presented in both French and English audio-video using waterproof tablets. Each interstitial is associated with set GPS waypoints featuring unique aspects of the Ottawa River’s history, ecology, geology and cultural significance. Leading top experts present this information in a series of pre-recorded audio/video interstitials. (

Accessibility: Content and staff represent a broad segment of Canada’s diversity. Access technologies are used to ensure all guests can access information in formats that meet their unique requirements. The Explorer can accommodate up to two manual wheelchair users at a time.

Funding: Sponsorships, donations and a small fee fund the Explorer program, and the Blue Fish Exploration centre.