Tata Chemicals funds whale shark conservation project in Gujarat news
http://www.domain-b.com/companies/companies_t/Tata_Chemicals/20081119_shark_conservation_project.html19 November 2008
Tata Chemicals Ltd (TCL) has joined hands with the National Institute of
Oceanography, the Gujarat forest department an the Wildlife Trust of India
for research on whale shark and coral reef.
Funded by Tata Chemicals, with a corpus of Rs 2 crore, the conservation
project will also involve other marine experts from the national and
international arena, TCL said in a release.
Tata Chemicals and WTI today signed an MoU for a conservation project that
will create awareness and undertake research, to save the endangered species
of whale shark that visits the coastal shores of Gujarat.
The Gujarat forest department and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) entered into
a memorandum of understanding for a conservation research programme on whale
sharks and corals.
The project will study the whale shark habitat, map their migration process
and various aspects of its life cycle and their genetic patterns and
estimate the population and document the results for effective and efficient
protection.
The research on corals will include study of coral diversity, mapping,
habitat, threats, and experiments for coral transplanting. The research
inputs on coral will feed scientific information to the proposed
interpretation center at Dwarka / Mithapur and a major initiative in coral
transplanting, the release said.
The study will also explore whale shark tourism opportunities in the region,
making the project unique and first of its kind in the country.
''We at Tata Chemicals have been committed to the preservation of the
environment together with well being of the local communities that we are
engaged with. This initiative is our first step taking the conservation
efforts to a cause that is important globally and to understand through
scientific research this rare species of fish whose numbers are dwindling.
Creating awareness that this unique species frequents the shores of Gujarat
could create opportunities in tourism for the state,'' Homi Khusrokhan,
managing director, Tata Chemicals, said.
The Gujarat forest department has granted financial compensation to
fishermen (as their nets get damaged during the release of whale sharks
accidentally caught). The forest department has also declared Kartik Amas as
Gujarat's Whale Shark Day, an honour no other species, not even the tiger,
has in this country. This year the Whale Shark Day – 'Vhali Divas' is being
celebrated on 27 November in Porbandar, the release said.
"Normally it takes around 10 years for the conservation initiative of a
commercially exploited species to succeed, but we have managed to get
positive results in just four years, on the strength of the concept of the
campaign,'' said Vivek Menon, executive director, Wildlife Trust of India.
''Spiritual ambassador Morari Bapu's endorsement connected emotionally to
the traditional and cultural ethics of the locals and fishing communities
has generated an overwhelming response across the target groups. Moreover,
the effect of the campaign was consistently and professionally surveyed to
measure its outcome and today all of us finally hope that the whale sharks
in India are in safe waters," he added.
Till date, around 75 whale sharks have been released by the Gujarat Forest
Department. The rescue and release of accidentally trapped whale sharks is
one of the largest rescue efforts of its kind in the world with the
department officials making a physical assessment of every reported rescue.
''This is a beginning of a major conservation initiative with public-private
partnership. Gujarat has a tradition of conservation and it is apt that
various sections of societies formalise the arrangement for greater success.
The government is committed to the cause of conservation. My belief is
reinforced by the initiative shown by the community in the rescue data of
the whale shark release and the pivotal role played by the forest
department, WTI, TCL and the coast guard,'' said SK Nanda, principal
secretary, forest and environment.
''The Saurashtra coast is a preferred destination of whale shark because of
its ecological health. This largest fish has been visiting the region
unabated since ages; now that protection is formally extended the whale
shark will find it friendlier. I am sure the research inputs will pave way
for whale shark tourism extending benefit to local people,'' he added.
''We along with the Wildlife Trust of India and Tata Chemicals have
successfully worked on the whale shark conservation project for over three
years. We are now looking at filling the gap in information on whale sharks
and corals. The community, which has sacrificed so much for the conservation
of whale sharks, will get benefits from its conservation. Coral, another
field of wildlife conservation, is less explored and needs significant
scientific inputs for conservation. I hope that the interest shown by
Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and National Institute of Oceanography (NIO)
with the support from Tata Chemicals will provide vital inputs for long term
conservation of whale sharks and corals in the region,'' said Pradeep
Khanna, principal chief conservator of forests and chief wildlife warden,
Gujarat Forest Department.
The conservation programme, is the first of its kind to pave way for
voluntary conservation at this scale. The fishing community has willingly
agreed to sacrifice its economic gain and has displayed exemplary sense of
responsibility to the marine environment in which they live. The government
has also come forward to provide relief for the loss of net to the extent of
Rs25,000 and WTI has worked as a catalyst with TCL actively supporting the
cause. The Coast Guard too has joined the programme both as motivator of
community and also in keeping vigil.
The whale shark conservation campaign (initiated in January 2004) and the
Mithapur coral reef securement project; two of the largest corporate
supported conservation initiatives in India, are aimed at creating a
conducive environment for the well being and breeding of marine life species
in the coastal belt of the country and serve as a global role model to
conserve these endangered habitats.
The campaign is also aimed to spread awareness, educate and change
perceptions about the world's largest fish, protected by law - yet hunted.
A decade ago, the whale sharks were brutally hunted in hundreds, along the
Gujarat coast, for its liver oil to waterproof boats and also for its meat,
which was exported. On May 28, 2001, whale shark hunting was banned in
India, following it being listed under Schedule I of the Wildlife
(Protection) Act, 1972, which was triggered by the documentary `Shores of
Silence' by Mike Pandey. Prior to this, few people, other than the fishermen
who hunted it, ever knew that whale sharks existed in Gujarat waters.
