Boaters urged to slow down as humpback whales return to Hawaiʻi waters

Federal officials are reminding boaters to slow down and keep their distance as humpback whales return to Hawaiʻi for the winter breeding season.

Thousands of humpback whales, known in Hawaiian as koholā, travel to Hawaiʻi each year between November and May to breed, give birth and nurse their young, according to the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

Kim Hum, superintendent of the sanctuary, said whale numbers in Hawaiʻi typically peak between January and February.

“Collisions with whales are a very real risk for the next several months,” Hum said in a community announcement issued Wednesday. She asked boaters to stay vigilant and slow down in and around sanctuary waters to reduce risks to both the animals and people on board.

Speed recommendations

The sanctuary asks boaters to travel at 15 knots or less, or at a safe planing speed, in water depths of 600 feet or less. The guidance is meant to reduce the chance of striking a whale.

Boaters approaching a whale to view it, or leaving after a viewing, should slow to six knots or less within 400 yards, the sanctuary said.

Distance requirements

Federal rules make it illegal to approach a humpback whale closer than 100 yards by any means, including boat, kayak, paddleboard or drone. Aircraft must stay at least 1,000 feet away.

The sanctuary said whales need that space to breed, give birth and nurse calves before the 2,500-plus-mile migration back to Alaska.

Reporting injured whales and violations

Anyone who sees an injured or entangled marine mammal should keep a safe and legal distance and immediately call the statewide NOAA Marine Wildlife Hotline at 888-256-9840 or radio the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF channel 16.

To report a vessel that comes too close to a whale, call the NOAA Fisheries Enforcement Hotline at 800-853-1964. People can also contact their local Division of Conservation and Resources Enforcement office by phone or email, or through the DLNRTip app.

Ed Lyman, a natural resource specialist with the sanctuary, said ocean users can help protect whales and their habitat by following regulations and recommendations. He said their cooperation also helps the sanctuary monitor whales across the islands.

About the sanctuary

Designated in 1992, the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary works to protect humpback whales and their habitat through research, education, conservation and stewardship. Hawaiʻi is the only place in the United States where humpback whales mate, calve and nurse their young, the sanctuary said.

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the state Division of Aquatic Resources jointly administer the sanctuary.

More information on responsible whale recreation is available on the sanctuary’s website.