Ultimate Research support

Marine Research in Maui

Supporting marine research in Maui Nui since 2006

Each season, Maui's waters serve as a living laboratory for understanding a changing ocean. Through Ultimate Whale Watch & Snorkel's Marine Research Program, we donate our vessels, captains, and crew to support scientists studying whales, manta rays, coral reefs, and climate‑driven changes around Maui.

By joining our trips, you help fund and enable cutting‑edge research that guides real conservation decisions for Hawaiʻi's marine life.

BOOK A TRIP THAT SUPPORTS RESEARCH
PARTNER WITH US
Marine researchers on a vessel in Maui, Hawaii
Marine researchers conduct coral reef monitoring via scuba in Maui, Hawaii
Marine researchers conduct whale research in Maui, Hawaii
How we support marine research in Maui

How We Get Scientists on the Water

Research at sea requires more than data — it requires reliable boats, experienced crew, and the local knowledge to get to the right place at the right time. That's where we come in.
⛵ Vessel & Crew Support

We donate vessel time, captains, and crew so research teams can safely reach offshore study sites, deploy instruments, and run surveys in key whale and reef habitats around Maui Nui.

🚨 Rescue & Disentanglement

Our captains are trained first responders in the community network led by NOAA and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary — assisting when whales are found entangled in fishing gear or marine debris.

🔬 Scientific Collaboration

On selected trips, our team works alongside partner scientists deploying acoustic recorders, tags, cameras, and environmental sensors across the Maui Nui region.

💰 Funding & Logistics

Beyond vessel time, we contribute financial support, in-kind logistics, and staff time to help partners plan fieldwork, access sites, and share their findings with the community.

How we help the whales

Whale Disentanglement

Entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris is one of the leading human-caused threats to humpback whales — and as fishing grounds and whale habitat increasingly overlap, it's becoming more common. Direct intervention is often the difference between survival and a slow death. Our team has participated in more than 100 responses and counting.
Stories from the field

Recent Research Highlights

A look at just a few areas of marine research in Maui that your trips make possible.
A manta ray swims over a reef in Maui, Hawaii
Manta Rays · HAMER

Tracking Maui's Mantas — One Spot Pattern at a Time

Working with HAMER scientists, our crew helped locate and document manta rays at key cleaning and feeding sites, supporting tagging and photo-ID work to understand how these small, island-specific populations use local habitat.
Marine scientists conduct whale research in Maui, Hawaii
Humpbacks · SIO & Sanctuary

Listening to Whale Songs Between Maui and Lānaʻi

In collaboration with Scripps and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, researchers deployed directional acoustic recorders from our vessels to study whale behavior across the Maui Nui channel.
Marine researchers conduct coral reef monitoring on scuba in Maui, Hawaii
Coral Reefs · TNC/ Stanford/ WHOI

Searching for Climate-Resilient "Super Reefs"

Alongside TNC, Stanford, and WHOI, our team supports fieldwork aimed at identifying coral reefs that show higher resilience to heat stress — reefs that may better withstand future warming and guide restoration across Hawaiʻi.
How your trip helps

Every Trip is a Research Day on the Water

When you choose Ultimate Whale Watch & Snorkel, a portion of our resources goes directly to vessel time, logistics, and funding for partner projects. Our crews work alongside scientists in the field and share new discoveries with every guest on board.

Whether we're assisting a whale entanglement response, mapping a reef, or documenting a manta ray — your presence makes it possible.

BOOK A RESEARCH-SUPPORTING TRIP
40+
Years on Maui's water
20+
Research partners supported
100+
Disentanglement responses
4
Active research focus areas
Marine research vessel support Maui, Hawaii
Stay involved

Three Ways to Support the Science

Whether you're a first-time visitor, a returning guest, or a researcher looking for a field partner — there's a place for you here.

📅

Book a Trip
Every whale watch or snorkel trip directly supports vessel time, field logistics, and partner projects in Maui Nui.
BOOK NOW
🔬

Partner with us
Researcher, educator, or organization interested in collaborating on projects in Maui Nui? We'd love to hear from you.
GET IN TOUCH
❤️

Support our partners
Several of our research partners accept direct donations. Visit their sites to contribute to the science happening in Maui's waters.
SEE PARTNER LINKS