Group wants population study amid low humpback whale counts

HONOLULU (AP) — A group is pushing to study the humpback whale population amid a season of lower-than-normal sightings.

Experts say this season isn’t alarming and could be an anomaly, the Honolulu Star-Advertiser reported (https://bit.ly/1Sf0ZoL).

The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary’s annual counts in January, February and March were conducted alongside volunteers, and tallied some of the fewest sightings in five years.

Sanctuary official Ed Lyman said a growing population could mean more competition for food, keeping humpback whales in feeding grounds longer.

A population study would scientifically evaluate the data.

“It is so different out there,” said Lyman, who is based in Maui and is the sanctuary’s large whale entanglement response coordinator.

Thousands of humpback whales make the annual winter journey from Alaska to Hawaii. The season can stretch from October at the earliest to June at the latest.

The migration contributes to Hawaii’s $20 million whale-watching industry.

This season appeared to start later and seems to be ending sooner, according to Adam Pack, a University of Hawaii at Hilo associate professor, veteran whale researcher and chairman of the marine sanctuary advisory council.

“Combined with the low numbers reported by other groups, this seemed like an unusual aberrant whale season,” Pack said.

The Pacific Whale Foundation’s data shows Hawaii’s humpback whale population growing by 7 to 8 percent annually.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration wants the rebounding North Pacific population removed from the Endangered Species List.