Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary coordinates the community-based Hawaiian Islands Large Whale Entanglement Response (LWER) Network. The network is part of the larger Pacific Islands Marine Mammal Response Network headed by NOAA Fisheries? Pacific Islands Regional Office. The entire effort, plus associated monitoring, is overseen and authorized by NOAA Fisheries? Marine Mammal Health and Stranding Response Program.

The network is dependent upon the commitment of many state and federal agencies, including the state of Hawai?i Department of Land and Natural Resources, the NOAA Fisheries Pacific Islands Regional Office, the NOAA Office of Law Enforcement, and the U.S. Coast Guard, private non-governmental organizations, fishermen, researchers, and other members of the on-water community working together.

The network encompasses more than 350 members who have received various levels of training in order to support large whale response efforts statewide. Over 700 hours of training have been conducted since 2002, underscoring the importance of training and preparedness. Caches of specially-designed equipment have been established on the islands of Hawai?i, Maui, O?ahu, and Kaua?i to support entanglement response efforts.