#wintering whales

As 12,000 humpback whales migrate to Hawaiʻi each year. Approaching humpback whales within 100 yards or within 1,000 feet by air is illegal.

Hundreds of humpback whale sightings were reported during the 2017 Great Whale Count on Maui over the weekend, conducted by the Pacific Whale Foundation.

Pacific Whale Foundation spotted their first whale of the season today, Oct. 20, 2016, off the coast of Lahaina in West Maui. A captain aboard the Ocean Discovery confirmed the sighting after being alerted to the possible sighting by crew aboard the Queen’s Treasure.

With Hawaii’s humpback whale season underway, officials are reminding boaters and other ocean users to use caution and follow whale protection rules. Federal regulations require people to stay at least 100 yards away from the wintering whales. In the past two years, officials reported 12 cases involving violations, including approaches by swimmers, non-motorized watercraft, and […]