Veraval, 9th January 2025: A 29-foot-long female Whale shark found itself in a perilous situation after becoming entangled in a fishing net off the coast of Veraval, Gujarat, on 8th January 2025.

The incident occurred during a routine fishing trip when local fishers discovered the massive whale shark trapped in their net. Recognising the urgency of the situation, Ravibhai Mohanbhai Motivaras, a member of the fishing crew, immediately alerted the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the Gujarat Forest Department, prompting a swift and coordinated rescue operation.

WTI’s field project team, led by Mr. Farukhkha Bloch (Project Manager & Head) and supported by Mr. Mohitkumar Bamaniya, Field Biologist and Mr. Prakash Doriya, Field Assistant, worked in close coordination with Mr. Vagasiya, Range Forest Officer, Veraval, Mr. V. Aparnathi, Veterinary officer, anda Rapid Response team (RRT) comprising Mr Ganesh, Mr. Harsukh and several local fishers onboard. 

Upon arriving at the location, the rescue team first assessed the health condition of the distressed animal. After carefully cutting through the net, the whale shark was safely disentangled and released back into the sea without delay.

Farukhkha Bloch, Manager & Head, Pan India Whale Shark Conservation project, WTI highlighted that the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat has been a preferred aggregation ground for whale sharks and their accidental entanglements in fishing gear, often during their seasonal aggregation period from October to April, pose significant threats to the survival of these gentle giants. He expressed gratitude to the fishers for demonstrating compassion for marine life conservation and noted that this rescue marked the 1011 successful whale shark rescue on the Gujarat coast since the launch of the Whale Shark Conservation Project in 2004. He further added that the stewardship of the fisher community has resulted in 19 records of whale shark neonates or pups from Gujarat waters.

Akshay Joshi IFS, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Junagadh Forest Division, stated that the Gujarat Forest Department has been providing net loss compensation to fishers who bear an economic loss of their damaged net during whale shark rescues offshore. He added that this compensation has been revised from INR 25,000 to a limit of INR 50,000 in February 2024.

In 2004, WTI launched the pioneering ‘Save the Whale Shark” Campaign in Gujarat to create awareness among coastal communities. Fishers, once hunters of the species, became its protectors, leading to a shift in perception and increased conservation action.