Veraval, Gujarat, November 27, 2019: After fifteen years of entering Gujarat to save the whale shark, Wildlife Trust of India along with Junagadh Wildlife Circle, Gujarat Forest Department, jointly organized 11th Gujarat Whale Shark Day at Veraval.
The project is an exemplary marine conservation model of Government, corporate, NGO and Communities working together to save the world’s largest fish and make it a conservation icon in this maritime state. Gujarat Whale Shark Day is a state-level celebration conducted each year since 2009 (as declared officially by the Dept. of Forests, Govt. of Gujarat) on the Kartak-vad Amavas (New-moon day after the Hindu month of Kartik, as per the Hindu calendar). Previous celebrations have been conducted at Dwarka, Sutrapada, Mangrol, Dhamlej, Somnath and Veraval – all hotspots of community outreach for the whale shark conservation project.
The Gujarat Whale Shark Day recognizes the efforts of the fishing community in actively conserving the whale sharks and inculcates a sense of ownership and pride into the community that was once hunting this species.
A day-long awareness-generation programme was organized targeting specific groups; a technical session at College of Fisheries in Veraval to discuss the “Strategies on challenges on conservation of sharks along the coast of Gujarat with special emphasis on Whale Shark” had several representatives from Marine division and associated departments in Veraval as participants. Scientists from ICAR-CMFRI and CIFT, Commanding Officer of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) of Veraval, Deputy Conservator of Forests from Junagadh wildlife forest division, Dean & Principal of Collage of Fisheries in Veraval, Port Officer of Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) in Veraval, officials from Fisheries department, Marine Police, educators from colleges, local business heads, and fisher community heads of Boat Associations from Veraval, Mangrol, Chorwad, Sutrapada, Dhamlej and Dwarka to name a few were present along with representative from project partner Tata Chemical Limited. About 50 students from Fisheries Science Department (Graduate & Post Graduate) were present during the session as beneficiaries to gain knowledge generated through discussions from several departmental experts.
The session was Chaired by the Chief Conservator of Forest (Junagadh Forest division), Co-chaired by Assistant Collector of Gir Somnath, moderated by Scientist from CMFRI Veraval and Co-ordinated by Project In-Charge of Wildlife Trust of India in Veraval. This technical session was followed by panel discussions
The Gujarati version of Vhali Watcher mobile App, developed by WTI was launched on the occasion jointly by Chief Conservator of Forests, Junagadh forest Division and Assistant Collector of Gir Somanth.
A major highlight from the celebration was a rally organized with almost 650 school children from six different schools. The rally began from their respective schools and travelled till the venue at KCC ground where the public celebrations were organized.
Shri. Ajay Prakash, IAS, District Collector & DM of Gir Somanth graced the occasion along with other dignitaries from Indian Coast Guard station of Veraval, TATA Chemicals Ltd, Veraval Fishermen Boat Association and other project stakeholders.
“Whale Shark conservation project is well organized model of multi stakeholders and great example of co-management’ said Shri. Ajay Prakash. “Our team will construct life sized model of Whale Shark at the Veraval chowpati which is being developed by the district Collector & DM of Girsomath”, added Mr Prakash.
The Assistant Conservator of Forest- Junagadh division thanked all the dignitaries, guest, students, researchers and all associated stakeholders and the organizers for participation and making it a success.
The celebration continued the next day as the life sized Whale Shark inflatable model was taken around Veraval city to the District Collector’s office through a few coastal schools which could not join the rally.
Formally launched in November 2008, the Whale Shark Conservation Project is a joint venture of WTI with the Gujarat Forest Department, and Tata Chemicals Limited that has evolved from a targeted campaign to scientific studies of whale sharks through photo-identification, genetic analysis and satellite tagging.
Click here to read more about the project: https://www.wti.org.in/projects/whale-shark-conservation-project/
To watch a video made on the project, click here: https://www.wti.org.in/resource_centre/whale-shark-conservation-project/
