Adverse impact means an impact that independently or cumulatively damages, diminishes, degrades, impairs, destroys, or otherwise harms.

Alteration of the seabed means drilling into, dredging, or otherwise altering a natural physical characteristic of the seabed of the Sanctuary; or constructing, placing, or abandoning any structure, material, or other matter on the seabed of the Sanctuary.

Habitat means those areas that provide space for individual and population growth and normal behavior of humpback whales, and include sites used for reproductive activities, including breeding, calving and nursing.

Military activities means those military activities conducted by or under the auspices of the Department of Defense and any combined military activities carried out by the Department of Defense and the military forces of a foreign nation.

Sanctuary means the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

Sanctuary resource means any humpback whale, or the humpback whale's habitat within the Sanctuary.

Shoreline means the upper reaches of the wash of the waves, other than storm or seismic waves, at high tide during the season of the year in which the highest wash of the waves occurs, usually evidenced by the edge of vegetation growth, or the upper limit of debris left by the wash of the waves.

Take or taking a humpback whale means to harass, harm, pursue, hunt, shoot, wound, kill, trap, capture, collect or injure a humpback whale, or to attempt to engage in any such conduct. The term includes, but is not limited to, any of the following activities: collecting any dead or injured humpback whale, or any part thereof; restraining or detaining any humpback whale, or any part thereof, no matter how temporarily; tagging any humpback whale; operating a vessel or aircraft or doing any other act that results in the disturbing or molesting of any humpback whale.