Now, Tail Whale Sharks Along Saurashtra Coast

March 30, 2006

Release from: Sibte Husain Bukhari
Ahmedabad Newsline (India)

Junagadh - IF you thought the only Jaws you see are on the big screen, the proposed marine tourism drive by Junagadh’s Forest Department will soon have you ‘fishing’ in Arabian Sea waters for whale sharks.

The idea to begin the tourism initiative took seed after the March 13 reports of a whale shark trapped in a fisherman’s net near the Sutrapada coast. Parbat Kulawaria and his crew aboard the ‘Parasmani’ informed the Veraval forest department staff. The whale was released after a five-hour mid sea operation. The rescue effort had been the second in two months.

“We have been carrying on whale shark protection and conservation in the the areas between Porbander and Veraval coast. They have been identified as breeding grounds for the whale shark,” said Deputy Conservator of Forest (Girnar Range) SK Mehta.

“The whale shark was listed as an Schedule I mammal under the Wildlife Act, 1972, two-three years ago. Since then, there has been a ban on catching the mammal,” said Deputy Conservator of Forest (Wildlife) Ram Kumar.

“The idea behind developing the coastline from Porbander to Veraval into a tourist spot was to rope in fishermen’s help in conserving the whale shark. So instead of harming the whale, they will now help protect them,” he added.

The Forest Department has already conducted three meetings with the fishing community to raise awareness. The department has identified the migration patterns, breeding grounds with their help.

“The modalities of the marine tourism project are being worked out as of now. It will be a co-ordinated effort of the forest department, the fishing community and the concerned authorities” said Mehta. First and foremost is the funding. “We are looking for interested parties who would pool in money for the highly expensive project. It would require infrastructural inputs like boats, marine experts etc. for which talks are on with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI),” he said.

According to a research and survey conducted by various study group and NGO’s, there is no estimate of whale shark numbers throughout the world. Globally, whale sharks are the largest fishes on earth. They may grow to bef 60 feet or more and weigh upto 34 tonnes (in comparison, a big elephant weighs up to six tonnes).

Whale sharks inhabit tropical and warm temperature ocean waters (21-25 degree Celsius).