12^th December 2023, Veraval, Gujarat: The 17th Gujarat Whale Shark Day celebration at the College of Fisheries Science in Veraval, Gujarat, commemorated two decades of the conservation co-management partnership between the Gujarat Forest Department, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and Tata Chemicals Ltd. (TCL)

The “Gujarat Whale Shark Day – 2023” celebrations brought together 600 individuals including students from Chokshi College and College of Fisheries Science, fishing community members from five maritime towns, officers from coastal and marine departments, ICAR-Regional Centre CMFRI, ICAR-Regional Centre of CIFT, Marine Police, Dept. of Fisheries, Forest officers from Junagadh Forest Division and District administration officers and media partners.

The event was chaired by Dr. K. Ramesh, IFS, Chief Conservator of Forests at Junagadh Forest Circle and represented by project partners from WTI, TCL and the fisher community. Students from Choksi College performed a skit titled ‘Safe Rescue of Whale Shark’, demonstrating the process of rescuing entangled whale sharks, claiming net loss compensation and emphasising the role of community and project implementing institutions in offshore whale shark conservation.   

Students performed a skit on titled ‘Safe Rescue of Whale Shark’ |Photo by Sanishth Sikotariya/Volunteer/WSCP/WTI

During the event, experts also discussed the use of technology to save whale sharks, providing valuable guidance.  An information desk was set up to educate fishers on the process of downloading and installing the ‘Vhali Watcher Android mobile application. This app is increasingly being embraced by fishermen for self-documenting whale shark rescues and reporting to the forest department to claim compensation for net loss.

As a prelude to the Gujarat Whale Shark Day, a street rally featuring a life-sized inflatable whale shark model was organised in Veraval city which garnered participation from 350 students from Shri K K Mori High School and forest officials of Veraval range forest. 

Celebrated on the lunar calendar as “Kartak–Vad–Amavas” (new moon day in the Hindu month of Kartak), Gujarat Whale Shark Day was proclaimed by the former Forest Minister of Gujarat, Shri. Mangubhai Patel, in 2007.

In his speech, Dr. K. Ramesh, IFS Chief Conservator of Forests, Junagadh Forest Circle, reflected on the remarkable 20-year journey of co-management for Whale shark conservation in Gujarat. He lauded the volunteer-driven efforts of the fisher community, highlighting the successful rescue and release of 932 whale sharks from accidental entanglement, to date.

Mr. Tulsi Bhai Gohil, President of the Veraval Fishermen Boat Association expressed that the fishing community took pride in partnering with the State Forest Department and the Wildlife Trust of India to preserve Whale sharks despite enduring net and economic losses. While emphasising the significance of Whale shark conservation, he also stated that need to extend conservation efforts to protect other marine life, particularly dolphins and sea turtles in Gujarat waters.

Mr. Tulsi bhai K. Gohil President, Fishermen Boat Association, Veraval emphasised the need to protect and conserve all marine life |Photo by Sanishth Sikotariya/Volunteer/WSCP/WTI

Mr. B. M. Pravin Kumar, Manager, Wildlife Trust of India emphasised that the Whale Shark conservation project in Gujarat is a unique example of its kind for marine conservation with active participation by the fisher community, who once brutally hunted and slaughtered whale sharks on an extensive scale due to lack of legal protection, until 2001. Today these fishermen have turned into protectors and claim immense pride in saving whale sharks.

Representing Tata Chemicals as an instrumental project partner, Senior Manager of TCSRD Mr. Mukesh Solanki underscored the deep-rooted values of the organisation in the conservation of the Whale shark project. He highlighted the commitment of Tata Chemicals to aligning corporate values with environmental conservation and the collaborative approach involving public and private entities in achieving shared conservation goals.

The Gujarat Whale Shark campaign was launched in 2004 by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and Gujarat Forest Department with the support of Tata Chemicals Limited (TCL) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) to build awareness of its protected status and illegal killings among the local fishing community in order to stop the killings and to urge the general public of Gujarat to protect it.