Sujata Agrawal

Tata Chemicals has played a part in making the annual visit of the magnificent whale shark to the waters off the Gujarat coast a less bloody affair

The enormous creature swims lazily through the water, its body swaying to the rhythm of the seas. As it moves through the water, its massive mouth opens wide to suck in what seems like a million litres of water, not to mention plenty of tiny fish and plankton. For the mighty whale shark, the largest and gentlest of fish in the marine world, it's another day in the office, which in this case happens to be the waters near Porbandar on the Gujarat coast.

Unlike its ferocious cousin, the great white, the whale shark is a placid creature, identified by its distinctive pattern of random cream stripes and dots on grey skin. The whale sharks have for hundreds of years been making an annual voyage to the Gujarat coast from the waters off Australia. They do this in the March-May period, the spawning season for the fish. But, regrettably, the local fishermen greet them in a most cruel fashion.

The fish is false-hooked (which means that hooks are flung at any part of its body) and barrels are tied to the ropes to keep the injured creature afloat. It is then brought ashore for the ritual carving up of valuable body parts The reason is simple: the meat and liver of an adult fish can fetch up to Rs 1 lakh. More than 1,200 whale sharks were being killed every year before the Indian government, in 2001, banned the fishing of this breed and the trade in its meat. Making the whale shark a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act has given the fish a lifeline, but the length of the Gujarat coastline — nearly 1,600 km — means that the Indian Navy or the Coast Guard can only stem, rather than stop, the slaughter.

The government had done its bit to save the whale shark, but the creature needed more friends. Help arrived in the form of a partnership involving the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI), the International Fund for Animal Welfare and two corporate entities, Tata Chemicals and Gujarat Heavy Chemicals. Tata Chemicals, which has its soda ash plant in Mithapur, one of the breeding areas of the whale shark, is providing financial and infrastructural assistance, besides the committed support of its employees.

Vivek Talwar, who heads the human resources function at Tata Chemicals, says the company's employees are passionate in their endeavour to save this graceful and gentle giant. "We offer material support to this cause and our employees and their families are also involved in the project," he says. "They will be donating their time, talent and skills for this. We hope to protect this wonderful creature and help in preserving what remains a flourishing marine ecosystem, of which the whale shark is an integral part."

WTI and its partners have been working hard to create awareness about the whale shark among local communities and fisherfolk. The Coast Guard, the Indian Navy and the Ministry of Environment and Reefwatch, are also involved in for what has been dubbed the 'Save the Whale Shark' campaign. Putting his shoulder to this conservation wheel is Morari Bapu, the spiritual leader known for his discourses on the Ramayana and interpretations of Indic traditions. He has taken up the fight to save the whale shark and is determined to transform the local fishermen from hunters to protectors. In his speeches he talks about the Indian tradition of honouring guests and equates the whale shark with the daughter who comes to her parents' home to give birth.

Street plays and exhibitions highlighting the plight of the species have been staged along the Gujarat coast, in port towns such as Okha, Beyt Dwarka, Porbandar and Veraval, and children have been involved through painting competitions. "It is our aim that every child and adult know about the whale shark," says Mr Talwar.

The highlight of the campaign is a 40-ft long inflatable model of the whale shark, which is carried on a camel cart and greeted by people with garlands and vermilion. The campaign has begun to make a visible difference. The locals who earlier called the whale shark 'barrel', (as that is what is used to hunt it) now call it 'Vhali' which means 'dear one'. The municipalities of Porbandar, Diu, Dwarka and Okha have adopted Vhali as their mascot and students and people alike have pledged their support to protect it.

WTI and Tata Chemicals hope that these initiatives will help improve awareness about the whale shark and the distress it is in. The idea is to evoke in local people the sort of pride that the Gir lions do. Also on the agenda is the creation of an eco-tourism model for the state. This makes sense, given that the Okhamandal area is actually a sanctuary rich in coral reefs, marine life and mangrove forests. The saltpans of Tata Chemicals are home to many migratory birds and, during the winter months, the place is crowded with flamingos, pelicans and over a hundred other species of birds.

Whale-shark watching is another area of interest. WTI expects to network with whale-shark enthusiasts in Seychelles and Australia and place the coast of Gujarat on their map. The hope is that, if the conservation efforts take hold, the very fishermen who once killed the whale shark will eventually have a vested interest in keeping them alive for tourist eyes.

"The project has started showing results," says Mr Talwar, talking about a recent heartening incident. In early October a fishing boat off the coast of Dwarka discovered a 40-ft whale shark entangled in its fishing nets. Instead of killing it, the owner cut the expensive nets and released it back to its home. "The owner, having seen the campaign, was aware of the importance of the fish. The wider community has begun to understand the imperative of saving the species and fishermen are now responding positively to our campaign."

Should they come to know of this change of heart, the whale sharks visiting the Gujarat coast will surely breathe easier.

Uploaded in March 2005