Fishermen Let Go Endangered Whale Shark Off Saurashtra Coast

December 25, 2005

Release from: WebIndia123.com

A group of fishermen, who caught a 30 feet long whale shark off Saurashtra coast recently, released it back with in the sea, due to their awareness about the endangerd species.

The act came in for praise, from the Regional Forest Officer P S Babaria, Fisheries Officer J K Rathod and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI).

The mammal was caught about 16 km deep into the sea off Sutrapada, but it was too heavy (about six tonnes) to be handled by three fishermen sailing in their small boat. They had sent a message to the Forest and Fisheries department officials at the nearest port of Veraval.

It took 40 men to rescue the mammal, by cutting the fishing net at several places entailing a loss of about Rs 50,000, before it could be released, WTI spokesman told UNI here today.

Whale sharks are one of the beautiful sea mammals, locally known as barrel fish', found off Veraval coast during November-March every year, when the sea water temperature is 20-25 degrees Celsius and there is plenty of phyto plankton to eat.

While a fully grown whale shark weighs 5-6 tonnes, its liver is about 10 per cent of its body weight. It is included in Schedule -I of Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972 as per the Government of India's Notification of November 11, 2001.