"Clearly, there is a need to help vessels avoid colliding with whales," said Greg Kaufman, president and founder of Pacific Whale Foundation.

"We have been working to prevent vessel collisions with humpback whales in Hawai'i since 1991, when we introduced a set of 'Best Practices Guidelines' for boat operators to follow in areas where whales are present," Kaufman said. "We required our staff to follow these guidelines, and we began conducting educational workshops for other vessel operators, to teach them about the best ways to handle their vessels around whales."

"We found that boaters and water users wanted simple, short information about the best ways to handle vessels around whales," says Kaufman. "In response, we developed 'Be Whale Aware' stickers that can be placed in wheelhouses of boats, on kayak paddles or even on windsurf rigs, for easy reference by the operator."

The colorful stickers are shaped like traffic signs and use catchy phrases to remind boaters about ways to handle their vessels in areas where whales are present.

They will be distributed free at all kayak and board rental companies, at boat ramps and harbors, through equipment retailers and upon request to boaters and recreational ocean users.

"The boating community has had a very positive response to the stickers," says Kaufman. "They love the colorful designs and the strong conservation message."

Humpback whales are found in Hawai'i from December through mid-May, with some whales arriving earlier or staying later. The whales come to Hawai'i to mate and give birth.

Humpback whales are an endangered species, protected under the U.S. Marine Mammal Protection Act. There are an estimated 12,000 to 14,000 humpback whales in the North Pacific, and about 60 percent of this population is believed to come to Hawai'i. Because this population of whales is growing at about 7 percent per year, the likelihood of vessel-whale collisions has increased dramatically.