Lakshwadeep, 26th February:  CIFNET, MPEDA, NETFISH, the Forest Department, and the Fisheries Department came together to host a skill development training session for the fishers of Lakshadweep on Kiltan Island on 26th February. During this event, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) partnered with VST Industries to conduct a session aimed at raising awareness among local fishers about the importance of the Whale shark.

The primary objective of this initiative is to sensitise the fishing community, emphasising Lakshadweep’s status as one of the largest whale shark aggregation sites. By instilling a sense of guardianship among fishers, WTI’s ‘Save The Whale Shark’ campaign aims to prevent instances of whale shark fatalities caused by neighbouring Kerala fishers. The event, inaugurated by Dr. Sayed Ali and graced with a presidential address by Forester Jaseel, witnessed the participation of 70 dedicated fishers.

WTI team hosted a Skill development training for the fishers of Lakshadweep in Kiltan Island | Phot by Swathi Nambiar

Furthering its outreach, the WTI team conducted a sensitisation event at Moola Beach in Androth Island, drawing an audience of over 600 individuals. The captivating display of a life-size whale shark mascot served as a catalyst for engaging discussions and inquiries from islanders, indicating a growing interest in whale shark conservation efforts.

The life-size Whale shark mascot drew the attention of the islanders | Photo by Swathi Nambiar

Similarly, the WTI team conducted an event at the Fisheries Office in Androth Island last week for key stakeholders from the Fisheries and Forest Departments and the fisher community. This was followed by a sensitisation and interaction session with 650 students of Govt. Senior Basic School, Pandath in Androth Island.

“WTI with the support of IUCN had conducted a survey along the west coast (excluding Gujarat) during 2012-13 and found that the highest number of Whale Shark sightings (after the Gujarat coast) were near the waters of Lakshadweep. Fishers of Kerala often go to Lakshadweep waters to fish and the high incidental landings can be attributed to this fact,”  said, Sajan John, Marine Specialist at WTI.

Sensitisation and interactive session hosted for school children | Photo by Swathi Nambiar

WTI initiated a Whale Shark conservation project along Kerala & Lakshadweep Island with the support of Cochin Shipyard Ltd in 2017. The whale shark is the largest fish on Earth that can attain lengths of approximately 18 metres and weigh as much as 21 metric tonnes. This species is categorised as ‘Endangered’ by the IUCN Red List and is protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 in India. Know more about our campaign here.