ID :
30856
Tue, 11/18/2008 - 17:03
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/30856
The shortlink copeid
Local fishermen to be part of major research on whale shark
Ahmedabad, Nov 18 (PTI) An extensive research on the
endangered whale shark found off the Saurashtra coast in the
western Indian state of Gujarat -- arguably the first of its
kind in the country -- involving the local fishing community
will be launched shortly.
The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in collaboration
with the state Forests and Environment Department and the
National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) of Goa will conduct
the five-year research to study whale shark habitat, map
their migration, various aspects of their life cycles and
genetic patterns.
With the commitment shown by the local fishing
community for whale shark conservation in the coastal region
of Saurasthra, a group of fishermen will be specially trained
for project.
The research, which also includes the study of the
coral reef along the Gujarat coastline, is being funded by the
Jamnagar-based Tata Chemicals Limited.
Marine biodiversity expert from NIO, M Wafar, who is
part of the core team of scientists for the project, said, "We
will be training the local fishermen to collect samples from
underneath the sea. They will also be taught how to click
photographs of whale sharks using underwater cameras.
"The pictures will be used to create photo
identification of the whales visiting the coast of Gujarat.
Since the fishermen spent most of the time in the sea, it
will be easy to get visuals of the fish if we train them
in photography," Wafar told PTI.
He said the research will be carried out in a phased
manner over five years.
"In the first year, we will be studying the
hydrography and try to get answers to questions such as when
do the whale sharks come to Gujarat coasts? Why do they come
here? and what is so unique about the coastline near
Saurashtra region where they have been sighted," he said.
"In the second year, we will try and enumerate the
population of these large creatures. We will also be studying
the dotted patterns that appear on the surface of their body.
They are like finger print, unique in each fish," Wafar said.
"Then in the third and fourth year, we will be
tracking them using Global Positioning System (GPS) and
satellite tags. Since they come under the Schedule I category,
specific clearance from the government is required to conduct
experiments on these creatures," he said.
Equipment like cameras for underwater photography,
satellite tags and other instruments used for this study will
have to be imported, he said.
Besides these, genetics, behaviour pattern of the
whale sharks, their tendency to mix with other shark species
will also be studied, he said.
A Scientific Advisory Committee comprising 10 experts
from India and abroad will be providing necessary inputs for
the research project. The first meeting of the committee is
likely to be held next week.
WTI coordinator for Gujarat, Diresh Joshi, said 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 centre at Dwarka or
Mithapura in Jamnagar, Joshi said.
WTI has been running a "Save Whale Shark" campaign
since 2004 to educate and change perceptions about the fish
among people in the coastal region.
According to an estimate, over 500 whale sharks were
killed along the Gujarat coast during 2000-01, WTI Executive
Director Vivek Menon said.
The campaign, with support of religious leader Morari
Bapu and other stakeholders including the fishing community
and coast guards has been a success and hardly any of the
endangered species have been killed in the past few years by
fishermen, he said.
The number of whale sharks rescued and released as
a result of this campaign has now exceeded 80, Memon said.
The Gujarat government had declared 'Kartak Amas' as
the 'whale shark day' last year.
Whale sharks grow up to 45 feet in length, weigh about
12 tonne and are known to live up to 100 years.
Despite their size, they are docile and completely
harmless to human beings and are found mainly in warm waters.
PTI
endangered whale shark found off the Saurashtra coast in the
western Indian state of Gujarat -- arguably the first of its
kind in the country -- involving the local fishing community
will be launched shortly.
The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in collaboration
with the state Forests and Environment Department and the
National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) of Goa will conduct
the five-year research to study whale shark habitat, map
their migration, various aspects of their life cycles and
genetic patterns.
With the commitment shown by the local fishing
community for whale shark conservation in the coastal region
of Saurasthra, a group of fishermen will be specially trained
for project.
The research, which also includes the study of the
coral reef along the Gujarat coastline, is being funded by the
Jamnagar-based Tata Chemicals Limited.
Marine biodiversity expert from NIO, M Wafar, who is
part of the core team of scientists for the project, said, "We
will be training the local fishermen to collect samples from
underneath the sea. They will also be taught how to click
photographs of whale sharks using underwater cameras.
"The pictures will be used to create photo
identification of the whales visiting the coast of Gujarat.
Since the fishermen spent most of the time in the sea, it
will be easy to get visuals of the fish if we train them
in photography," Wafar told PTI.
He said the research will be carried out in a phased
manner over five years.
"In the first year, we will be studying the
hydrography and try to get answers to questions such as when
do the whale sharks come to Gujarat coasts? Why do they come
here? and what is so unique about the coastline near
Saurashtra region where they have been sighted," he said.
"In the second year, we will try and enumerate the
population of these large creatures. We will also be studying
the dotted patterns that appear on the surface of their body.
They are like finger print, unique in each fish," Wafar said.
"Then in the third and fourth year, we will be
tracking them using Global Positioning System (GPS) and
satellite tags. Since they come under the Schedule I category,
specific clearance from the government is required to conduct
experiments on these creatures," he said.
Equipment like cameras for underwater photography,
satellite tags and other instruments used for this study will
have to be imported, he said.
Besides these, genetics, behaviour pattern of the
whale sharks, their tendency to mix with other shark species
will also be studied, he said.
A Scientific Advisory Committee comprising 10 experts
from India and abroad will be providing necessary inputs for
the research project. The first meeting of the committee is
likely to be held next week.
WTI coordinator for Gujarat, Diresh Joshi, said 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 centre at Dwarka or
Mithapura in Jamnagar, Joshi said.
WTI has been running a "Save Whale Shark" campaign
since 2004 to educate and change perceptions about the fish
among people in the coastal region.
According to an estimate, over 500 whale sharks were
killed along the Gujarat coast during 2000-01, WTI Executive
Director Vivek Menon said.
The campaign, with support of religious leader Morari
Bapu and other stakeholders including the fishing community
and coast guards has been a success and hardly any of the
endangered species have been killed in the past few years by
fishermen, he said.
The number of whale sharks rescued and released as
a result of this campaign has now exceeded 80, Memon said.
The Gujarat government had declared 'Kartak Amas' as
the 'whale shark day' last year.
Whale sharks grow up to 45 feet in length, weigh about
12 tonne and are known to live up to 100 years.
Despite their size, they are docile and completely
harmless to human beings and are found mainly in warm waters.
PTI
