The Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary will host a series of free public workshops around the state beginning Nov. 6 to educate boaters about safe boating practices around the endangered whales.

The sanctuary's marine mammal response manager will share guidelines for safe and legal whale watching, tips on avoiding dangerous contact with whales while boating, new humpback whale research, and maps of humpback whale distribution around the Hawaiian Islands, according to a news release from the agency.

As many as 10,000 humpback whales visit Hawaiian waters every year. These acrobatic, 45-ton marine mammals attract wildlife enthusiasts, but they can also pose safety hazards to mariners. Dangerous vessel-whale collisions occur every year in Hawai'i, and boaters who sail too close to whales are also at risk when the animals surface, breach or slap their massive tails or flippers, the news release said.

Humpback whales are protected in Hawai'i. Federal regulations prohibit approaching within 100 yards of the whales when on or in the water, and 1,000 feet when operating an aircraft. These and other federal marine mammal and endangered species protection regulations apply to all ocean users throughout the Hawaiian Islands, according to the news release.

Humpback whale season in Hawai'i generally runs from November through May, with peak in humpback numbers occurring from January through March. The whales congregate in ocean waters less than 600 feet deep throughout the main Hawaiian Islands and are frequently encountered at or near the surface, and the sanctuary urges boaters to be extra cautious on the water during whale season.

The first workshop, on Nov. 6, will be held at the Maui Ocean Center in Maalaea, Maui.

The complete workshop schedule is available on the sanctuary's Web site at http://hawaiihumpbackwhale.noaa.gov/explore/safe_boating.html.

Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary is administered by a partnership of NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries and the state of Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources.