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Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary

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Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary protects humpback whales and their habitat.
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Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary was created by Congress in 1992 to protect humpback whales and their habitat in Hawaiʻi. It is administered by the Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of National Marine Sanctuaries (ONMS). The sanctuary is located from the shoreline to the 100-fathom isobath (600 ft. depth) in the four isl

and area of Maui; Penguin Bank; and off the north shore of Kauaʻi, the north and south shores of Oʻahu, and the north Kona and Kohala coast of Hawaiʻi Island. Discover marine life and extraordinary habitats that make up your nation's marine sanctuaries and our continuing efforts to conserve these ocean and coastal treasures. The sanctuary is jointly managed via a cooperative federal-state partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the State of Hawaiʻi through the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

09/08/2026

Ever wonder how humpback whales hear the world around them? 🐋🔊

In a groundbreaking effort, researchers at Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary , in collaboration with Ocean Alliance and Dr. Adam Smith of the Syddansk Universitet – University of Southern Denmark , are testing a new, non-invasive tag that can be deployed by drone to uncover the mysteries of hearing in humpback whales.

By better understanding their hearing sensitivities, researchers can gain critical insights into how they experience the ocean and ultimately, how to better protect these giants of the deep.

🔗 Dive into the full story: https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/news/2026/listening-to-giants.html

🎥: Chris Zadra under NMFS ESA/MMPA Permit No. 26593.
University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Office of Naval Research

08/26/2026

Are Hawaiʻi’s humpback whales resilient to a changing ocean? A sweeping new study published in "Marine Mammal Science" shows that approximately 7,000 whales – or one third of the Hawaiʻi population – have not returned to the islands since an unprecedented marine heatwave impacted their food resources in 2016. And, while whale survival rates have partially recovered, they have not yet returned to pre-heatwave levels over the past decade.

The findings, based on over 27,000 photo-identification sightings provided from research efforts conducted in Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and surrounding waters, show that while our humpback whales are a celebrated conservation success story, their recovery is not guaranteed.

It is also a critical reminder that short-term success isn't the same as long-term resilience. As marine heatwaves become more frequent and intense, continued collaborative monitoring is essential to understanding and managing their impacts on these iconic whales into the future.

🔗Read the full study here: https://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/science/publications.html.

Photo: NOAA/ Permit #782-1438

08/25/2026

🦭Happy from Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary! Did you know that these seals are endangered, with only about 1,600 left in the world? This population lives in two national marine sanctuaries, about 25% live within the main Hawaiian Islands, near or within protected waters of Hawaiian Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and about 75% of the population lives within Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Sanctuary in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. It’s always an amazing day when you get to see one of these beauties! 🦭

Join us at the sanctuary Monday, August 31, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., as Petra Bertilsson, the Monk Seal Response Manager at Marine Institute at the Maui Ocean Center (MOCMI) presents “Hawaiian Monk Seals & MOCMI: Local Conservation in Action.” Learn how you can help protect this incredible, unique species. As always, this presentation is free and open to the public, so tell your friends and family and arrive early for good seats!

Photo credit: Maria Harvey/NOAA

08/18/2026

Check out one of our recent publications from the sanctuary, “Humpback whales match song production to dive patterns" in the journal Current Biology. This paper, led by Dr. Julia Zeh, analyzes data collected using suction-cup multi-sensor tags to better understand humpback whale singing as it relates to their dive patterns in the sanctuary. 🐋🎤

Read it for yourself on our website: https://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/science/publications.html 🔗

Photo credit: J. Moore/NOAA; Permit #25754

08/14/2026

Can you guess which marine animal made these tracks on the beach near our visitor center in Kīhei? Add your guesses below in the comments!

📷: Lizzy Beato/NOAA

08/10/2026

Join us for the next Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council meeting on August 17, 2026!

The meeting will be held virtually via Google Meet, and the public is invited to attend.

🗓 Monday, August 17, 2026
⏰ 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. HST
💬 Public comment opportunity: 2:30 – 2:45 p.m. HST

The advisory council provides advice and recommendations for the management and protection of Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

Interested in attending? Visit the Community Announcement on our website to register: https://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/management/advisory/meeting-info.html

07/24/2026

Check out our latest installment of Nā Pilina Koholā, available on our website now: �https://nmshawaiihumpbackwhale.blob.core.windows.net/hawaiihumpbackwhale-prod/media/docs/202606-hihwnms-newsletter-summer.pdf 🔗

This issue of our bi-annual newsletter covers updates on the sanctuary's work over this past whale season in Hawaiʻi, from our research projects on whale hearing, to our innovations in the use of drones to disentangle humpback whales, to education and outreach projects like our cultural posters and broadening our reach to East Maui. 🐋

07/15/2026

“🐋 Learn the Whale Dance! 💃

Get ready to move like a humpback! Join us at one of our dance parties, or learn the dance wherever you are, record a video, and tag us so we can see your best whale moves!

Get Into Your Sanctuary Day on July 18th:

📍American Samoa: Tauese P.F. Sunia Ocean Center, 9 am - 1 pm
📍Hilo, Hawai‘i: Mokupāpapa Discovery Center, 10 am - 2 pm
📍Kīhei, Maui: Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale Kīhei Visitor Center, 9:30 am - 12:30 pm
📍O‘ahu: Windward Mall in Kāne‘ohe, 3 pm - 7 pm”

07/14/2026

Step inside a whale?! 🐋 Yes, you read that right!

Celebrate Get Into Your Sanctuary Day with us on Saturday, July 18th from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM at the Kīhei Visitor Center in Kīhei, Maui! We’ve got fun learning activities for everyone.

Not on Maui? Swipe left to check out other Get Into Your Sanctuary Day event locations across the Pacific to join the fun! 🌊

07/13/2026

SAVE THE DATE! 📆 Join us across the Pacific on Saturday, July 18, to celebrate day with our koholā / tafolā / humpback whales! 🐋

Address

726 S Kihei Road
Kihei, HI
96753

Opening Hours

Monday	9:30am - 2:30am
Tuesday	9:30am - 2:30pm
Wednesday	9:30am - 2:30pm
Thursday	9:30am - 2:30pm
Friday	9:30am - 2:30pm

Telephone

+18088792818

Website

http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/

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