#ed lyman

A whale calf spotted in distress off of Māʻalaea Bay on Maui Friday, is likely suffering from blunt force injuries caused by a vessel strike, according to researchers with the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

Each year between November and May, thousands of Koholā (humpback whales) return to Hawai‘i to breed, give birth and nurse their young. During this special time of year, boaters are reminded to reduce their speed and keep a safe and legal distance around whales.

After paddling miles and hours on the ocean, two kayakers ended up off the shore of Launiupoko, and there it was: a humpback mother whale “tail sailing” beside her calf.

New research reveals a daily pattern pattern for humpback whale songs which dominate the marine soundscape during the winter months off Maui. Researchers with the University of Hawai’i, in partnership with NOAA’s Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary found that whales move their singing away from shore throughout the day and return to the nearshore in the evening.

For years, it was commonly thought that humpback whales did not have a presence in the Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Monument, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. That changed in 2006, when scientists recorded a whale song remotely, but not much was known about abundance at the time A new paper reports an abundance of […]

Moon has been followed by the Pacific Whale Foundation for nearly 15 years, but the last time researchers saw her in Maui waters she was suffering badly from a believed boat strike.

The team gets called out a dozen or more times each season to respond to reports of entangled humpbacks caught in fishing gear or marine debris within the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

A whale in distress, spotted in West Maui waters last week, suffered from blunt force injuries, likely caused by a vessel strike either on its migration to Hawaiʻi or while in feeding grounds, according to the Pacific Whale Foundation.

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary celebrates 30 years in November with Ho‘i Koholā, “welcome back whales” month.

Sanctuary staff will provide presentations about recent scientific findings and the upcoming 2022-2023 whale season.

A mother humpback whale was freed of more than 550 feet of line and marine debris wrapped tightly around its head during a disentanglement effort yesterday off Lahaina. Rescuers say the successful response increased the survival chances for both the mother whale and her calf.

Boaters are being asked to reduce transit speeds to 15 knots or less, and slow to six knots when within 400 yards of humpbacks, when approaching and departing the area.

An entangled yearling humpback whale was freed of gear by a NOAA-led team of trained responders off Ukumehame, Maui on Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2022.

While some whales have already arrived, the majority will be in Hawai‘i between January and March. Iconic humpback whales in Hawai‘i are protected by state and federal agencies. Approaching humpback whales when on or in the water within 100 yards or within 1,000 feet by air (including drones) can impact the animals and is illegal.

The talk, “Catch and Release: Large Whale Entanglement Response,” is offered by Edward Lyman on Tuesday, July 2 at 5:30 p.m. at The Sphere at Maui Ocean Center.

An estimated 500 feet of heavy gauge line was removed from an entangled humpback whale off Maui.

While some gear was removed, including the entangling buoy, the adult humpback whale remained entangled as of Tuesday afternoon.

Maui’s Ed Lyman started getting calls from whale watching companies in Hawaii, asking why the whales were arriving so late.

During his lecture, he will describe the difficult and sometimes dangerous task of disentangling 40-ton whales

An entangled adult humpback whale was freed from 285 feet of line off Mākena Beach, Maui on Friday, Jan. 12, 2018.