Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary

Disclaimer: While I’ve never been employed by the Sanctuary, I have served as an alternate on its community Advisory Council for both the Education (2008-​10) and Honolulu County (2010-​12) seats.
The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary was created by Congress in 1992 to protect humpback whales and their habitat in Hawaii. The address listed is for the Sanctuary’s main office on Oahu which is not open to the public. The Sanctuary itself encompasses shallow (less than 600 feet), warm waters surrounding six of the main Hawaiian Islands (Kauai, Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lanai, and Hawaii) and constitutes one of the world’s most important humpback whale habitats .
Click here to view a map of the Sanctuary boundaries:
While the Sanctuary’s various education, outreach, and research initiatives differ somewhat from island to island, it’s best known for hosting an annual «Ocean Count» event on the last Saturday of January, February, and March (peak whale season) of each year from 8:00 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. During the event, over 2,000 volunteers on Kauai, Oahu, and Hawaii islands simultaneously record whale sightings and behaviors from over 60 coastal sites.
Click here to view results from past Ocean Counts:
It’s website is updated regularly with information about public lectures, research results, and other helpful information regarding whale watching within the Sanctuary as well as opportunities to get involved as a volunteer.