Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary was designated in 1992 by Congress in consultation with the state of Hawai‘i. The sanctuary includes areas around the islands of Maui, Lānaʻi, and Molokaʻi, and parts of Oʻahu, Kauaʻi, and Hawaiʻi. The sanctuary is jointly managed through a cooperative federal-state partnership between NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the state of Hawaiʻi through the Division of Aquatic Resources.

Header Photo: Ed Lyman/NOAA, under NOAA permit #782-1719

humpback whale tail breaching the water

Management Plan

The sanctuary's management plan serves as a roadmap for management.

Photo: J. Moore/NOAA, under NOAA permit #20311

people sitting around a table having a meeting

Sanctuary Advisory Council

A community-based body with members representing a variety of interests.