Ocean count promotes awareness about humpback whales

More than 403 volunteers gathered data from the shores of Oahu, Kauai and Hawaii islands during the third and final event of the 2016 Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Ocean Count.

The ocean count serves to promote public awareness about humpback whales, the sanctuary and shore-based whale-watching opportunities. The count is conducted three times per year during peak whale season and provides a snapshot of humpback whale sightings from the shoreline. Participants tally humpback whale sightings and document the animals’ surface behavior during the survey.

Volunteers collected data from 50 sites statewide March 26. A total of 94 whale sightings were reported during the 9-9:15 a.m. time period, the most of any time period throughout the day’s count. Weather conditions were ideal for viewing humpback whales — clear skies, minimal vog, calm seas and light breeze, but overall there were very few whales sighted on all three islands. Other marine life observed included large pods of dolphins, green sea turtles and several Hawaiian monk seals.

Preliminary data detailing whale sightings by site location are available at www.sanctuaryoceancount.org/resources. Additional information is available on the sanctuary’s website at hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov.

The sanctuary, which is administered by a partnership of NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the state of Hawaii through the Department of Land and Natural Resources, protects humpback whales and their habitat in Hawaiian waters where they migrate each winter to mate, calve and nurse their young.

On the Web

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary:

hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov

NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries: sanctuaries.noaa.gov

Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources: hawaii.gov/dlnr/