Veraval, Gujarat, 21 December 2020 :

Wildlife Trust of India together with Tata Chemicals Ltd. (TCL), and the support of Junagadh wildlife circle of Gujarat Forest Department celebrated the 14^th Gujarat Whale Shark Day at Veraval on the 14^th of December.

WTI’s Whale Shark Conservation Project has completed 15 years and is considered to be a bench mark of successful marine conservation with integrated management of the state government, TCL (our long term supporter) and the fisherfolk community.

The state government of Gujarat has been actively involved in whale shark conservation since the early days of the project. Gujarat Whale Shark Day is a state-level event held each year since 2007 on the day of Karak-vad Amavas (The first new moon after the month of Kartik as per the Hindu calendar).

The celebration was held in three coastal villages, namely  Veraval, Mangrol and Sutrapada. All three of them in the project area from 11^th to the 14^th of December this year and was observed with Covid-19 restrictions in place.  Multiple activities like painting competition for school children, beach sand art and beach clean up events were held aiming bolstering the project’s community conservation efforts and also to sustain the ownership and pride in the fisherfolk community for Whale Sharks.

Fisherfolk community event was also held at Mangrol bandar community hall with participation of about 50 fisherfolk and attended by community leaders Veljibhai K Masani (Regional Convener, Fishermen Cell) and Babubhai Vaja (MLA, Mangrol) and Dr Sunil Kumar Berwal (IFS), DCF, Junagadh Wildlife Division and M R Odedra, Range Officer, Mangrol.

“It’s a matter of pride for all fishermen of the state to be associated with the whale shark project which has been appreciated and recognized in India and abroad” mentioned Veljibhai Masani in his address.

Participants of Gujarat Whale Shark Day-2020, Community Hall of Mangrol Bandar

This was followed by a major event at the College of Fisheries, Veraval on the 14^th of December with participation of primary stakeholders, namely the fisherfolk community members of Veraval, Sutrapada, Dhamlej, Hirakot, Chorvad villages. The event was also attended by Scientists of ICAR – CMFRI and CIFT, Port Officer (Gujarat Maritime Board), Veraval, Asst. Director (Fisheries), DSP, Marine Police (Veraval), PhD scholars from the College of Fisheries and media personnel from regional media houses also covered the event.

The inaugural session was chaired by Dy Conservator of Forests, Junagadh and the panellists included the Conservator of Forests, Wildlife Crime Control Cell, Gandhinagar as a special guest along with the Asst Commanding Officer, Indian Coast Guard, Veraval and the Fisherfolk community head, Verval.

Shri. S.J. Pandit (IFS) Conservator of Forest (Wildlife Crime Control Cell, Gandhinagar) addressing the event, College of Fisheries, Veraval

Vice President (Chemical Division) and Dy. Manager – CSR, TCL, the Principal Investigator, Marine and the Marine Head, Wildlife Trust of India joined the event virtually.

A specially made poster both in English and Gujarati was released during the event. Click here to download the poster (Gujarati, English)

 Releasing the Whale Shark poster

Participants of Gujarat Whale Shark Day-2020, Veraval

Deputy Conservator of Forests (Social Forestry, Girsomnath Forests Division) felicitating fisherfolk community members.

Dr. Sunil Kumar Berwal (IFS), DCF, Junagadh highlighted the changed community perception over the year from intentional killing of the whale sharks to voluntary releasing accidental captures back to the wild. He congratulated the community as well as the project partners for saving and releasing almost 800 whale sharks till date.

A slideshow commemorating the project milestones was shown to the participants and the winners of the school painting competition were announced in this event.