India sets the example

Mid-sea rescue operation helps save Whale Shark
Sibte Husain Bukhari

Junagadh, April 14: A Mid-sea rescue operation was carried out by the fisheries officials with help from local fishermen to rescue a whale shark, an endangered marine species, at Veraval after the shark was reportedly trapped in a fisherman’s net on Friday off Veraval coast. The 35 to 40 feet long shark weighing 7 to 8 ton approximately was later released into the Arabian sea. This is the third such rescue operation this year at Veraval which has adopted the shark as its mascot. According to reports, Veraval port-based fisherman Naran Vander was fishing along with other crew members in his boat_ Shri Ram in the Arabian Sea early at dawn when he noticed a giant whale shark trapped in his fishing net. Around 9 am he established contact with Veraval Range Forest Office on his mobile phone and soon Veraval’s Range Forest Officer T S Babaria, Foresters M K Chudasama and C M Rathod, Fisheries Department J K Rathod along with local fishermen conducted a rescue operation which ended with the successful release of the shark.

When contacted RFO T S Babaria said, “In a bid to release this giant marine animal unhurt, the fishing net had to be cut-down carefully. The operation lasted for hours but ended on a successful note,” he said. However, Naran Vander lost his fishing net worth Rs 35,000 in the operation. Reports in this regard have been submitted to the concerned authority for a suitable compensation, said Babaria.

Mid-sea rescue operation is risky as the giant whale shark may try to escape in turn jolting the surrounding fishing boats. During a similar rescue operation in February, the marine giant jolted three fishing boats. Keeping this in consideration, the State government should provide proper training and enough safety equipment including life-jacket to the rescue team,” said a forest official.

This is the third mid-sea rescue operation at Veraval coast this year. To save the whale shark the State Government has declared Rs 20,000 as reward money for the fishermen community.

Veraval has adopted the whale shark as its mascot regularly organised functions to participate in the ‘Save the whale shark campaign’ which has produced great awareness among the fishermen community, said officials