Saving the whale shark in India

The Times of India 5 Nov 08;

* Gujarat forest department announced 56 recorded whale sharks had been released since the start of the campaign in 2004 for conservation of
the species.

* The success of the campaign became evident from within a year of its launch, when the first whale shark was voluntarily released by fisherfolk. Since then, many more have been released.

* Six cities in Gujarat, including a non-coastal city, adopted it as their mascot.

* On March 12, 2005, the Postal Department of Gujarat came out with a special whale shark postal cover.

* On November 10, 2005 a corporate body was awarded the BNHS Green Governance Award for the whale shark campaign.

* Whale sharks went on to become a part of various state celebrations in Gujarat.

* A state-wide whale shark day makes it the first animal with a day in its honour.

* The Kharva fishing community of coastal Veraval city also showed their commitment to whale shark conservation by making lifesize whale shark inflatables a part of their most important celebration, the birth of their religious deity, Ramdev Maharaj.

* As an incentive to the fishing community, the government announced compensations for those whose nets were damaged while releasing accidentally trapped whale sharks.

* On July 5 this year, a function was held to compensate boat owners for damaged fishing nets.

WHAT IS A WHALE SHARK?

The whale shark, protected and classified as a vulnerable species worldwide, migrates from as far as the waters of Australia and Mexico to give birth in the warmth of the Arabian Sea along Saurashtra coast. They are often found just 1-2 km off the fishing ports of Veraval, Dwarka, Diu, Mangrol and Porbander. Whale sharks are the largest fish in the ocean and can grow up to 45 feet in length. In India they are found most frequently in the Arabian Sea along the shores of Gujarat in western India.

Whale shark is the largest fish in the world; the head is flattened and the wide mouth, positioned at the tip of the snout, stretches almost as wide as the body. The whale shark is particularly large and its tail has a half moon shape. Whale sharks are greyish, bluish or brownish above, with an upper surface pattern of creamy white spots between pale, vertical and horizontal stripes. The belly is white.

WHALE LAWS:

In 2001, whale shark hunting was banned after it became the first fish to be listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Under the act, no person shall, after the commencement of this Act, acquire, receive, keep in his control, custody or possession, sell, offer for sale or otherwise transfer or transport any animal specified in Schedule I. Any person can be arrested for poaching or illegal killing of animal.

POACHING:

Before 2001 about 200 whale sharks were killed in a year. Each hunted whale shark brought fishermen Rs 50,000-1 lakh, making it a lucrative catch.

Agents of fish processing and export firms would pay up to Rs 1 lakh for a 40-ft whale shark weighing 8 to 10 tonnes. Its fins, liver from which oil is extracted, and meat has great demand and fetch a heavy price in the international market.