More than 650 volunteers tallied humpback whale sightings yesterday from the shores of O'ahu, Kaua'i, the Big Island and Kaho'olawe as part of the annual Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary Ocean Count.

The sanctuary, which is managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, protects humpback whales and their habitat in Hawaiian waters where they migrate each winter to mate, calve and nurse their young.

Volunteers collected data from 56 sites statewide. Every 15 minutes, an average of eight whales were counted per site statewide, officials said. The following are the average number of whales sighted per 15-minute count period on each of the islands:

• O'ahu: Four

• Kaua'i: Eight

• Big Island: Five

• Kaho'olawe: 14

Hawaiian waters provide a critical breeding habitat for about two-thirds of the north Pacific's humpback whales.

A whale count on Maui is conducted independently by the Pacific Whale Foundation.