The research
Present research is based on photo-identification, sound analysis and behaviour observations. The research in Tysfjord started in 1987. The project is named “NORCA” (The Norwegian killer whale project) and consists of a network of students and scientists studying the behaviour of the orcas in this area. 600-700 orcas spend the winter in the Tysfjord-Lofoten-Vesterålen area every year between October and January. 543 individuals and 40 groups are identified. Tiu Similä is now Dr. scient in behavioral ecology of killer whales in Northern Norway. 5 orcas were tagged in fall 2001. “Emil” was tagged in December 2001 and kept sending data until July 2002, which is a record.

Tysfjord Turistsenter is Basecamp for NORCAs research. At Basecamp there is a “research center” were the researchers are working.

There is 79 whale species in the world: Odontocetes, 68 species, for example sperm whale, killer whale - whales with baleens, Mysticetes, 11 species, for example minke whale, blue whale.

The killer whale (Orcinus Orca) is the most wide-ranging mammal on earth. They have a very varied diet. Some populations have specialised on fish, especially salmon (in Canada) and herring (in Norway). Some eat marine mammals (seals, sea-lions, whales: in S. America). Some populations eat both fish and marine mammals. The males weigh 4-5 tons and the females round 3 tons. Length: male: 6,5 m. Female: 5,5 m. Norwegian female orcas become sexual mature at the age of 8 years, males at the age of 15 years. The dorsal fin of a male can be up to 1,5 meter tall. Females dorsal fins are smaller and more curved, up to 80 cm. The calves dorsal fins are small and curved.

Norwegian Spring Spawning herring is the largest stock of herring in the world. In 2006, the size of the population is 10,3 million tonnes. They overwinter in Vestfjord/Tysfjord/Ofotfjord from mid-October to January. The youngest part of the stock wintered 200 naut. miles northwest off the Vesterålen Islands the 4 past years. Then they move southward to the coast of Western-Norway (Møre) for the greatest erotic adventure in the world: the spawning in February and March! The herring moves then to the feeding areas in the Norwegian Sea (North East Atlantic) where they spend the summer feeding on plankton. Important herring fisheries take place in our fjords every winter. Expected total catches for 2006 (Norway, Iceland, Russia, Faroe Islands, EU): 967.000 tonnes.

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