In the 1980s and 1990s, whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) were being slaughtered by the hundreds in the waters off the coast of Gujarat, a state in western India famous for being the last refuge of the Asiatic Lion. While the lions were protected under the Indian Wildlife Protection Act (WPA), 1972, the whale sharks were not.
Demand for the sharks fins and meat in south-east Asia drove a roaring export trade. According to one study published in 2000 in the journal Current Science, over 1,700 whale sharks were killed between 1988 and 1998. A further 600 were killed between 1999 and 2000, according to another study by WWF-India published in 2001. A single whale shark could earn a fisherman anywhere from $2,500 to $7,000, depending on its size.
It was happening because of greed, Tulsibhai Gohel (bhai is an honorific that shows respect), the 42-year-old president of the Sagar Putra Foundation, a local fishermans association, told Mongabay. We were getting so much money, it was impossible not to kill them.
In 2000, a documentary by Mike Pandey called Shores of Silence, which included footage of men cutting off a whale sharks dorsal fin while the fish was still alive, drew widespread attention to the plight of these gentle giants. The government was lobbied and a year later the fish was added to Schedule 1 of the WPA, giving it the highest legal protection in India.
However, awareness of the sharks protected status remained limited in Gujarat. In order to spread the message, the Whale Shark Conservation Project (Gujarat) was founded in 2004 as a partnership between Tata Chemicals, a public company, the Wildlife Trust of India, an NGO, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, and the Gujarat Forest Department.
To lose a species that has been estimated to be as old as the dinosaurs, and about whom enough knowledge has not been gained, would be a big loss. This prompted Tata Chemicals Ltd. to partner with the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) to embark on the Whale Shark Conservation project, Alka Talwar, the head of sustainability and corporate social responsibility at Tata Chemicals, told Mongabay.
Tata Chemicals has provided about $700,000 in funding since the projects inception as part of its corporate social responsibility, WTI the scientific and conservation expertise, and the Gujarat Forest department legal sanction and economic support for the communities. The collaboration among a public company, an NGO, and the state is one of the projects two pillars; the other is the fishing community. The model has been so successful because we were able to convert the community from hunters to saviours, Farukhkha Husenkha, WTIs assistant manager, sociology for the project, told Mongabay.
Husenkha joined the project in 2012 and operates out of Veraval, a fishing town that is the field base of the project. The project extends for roughly 160 kilometers (110 miles), and includes four other major fishing villages: Mangrol and Porbandar to the northwest of Veraval, and Sutrapada and Dhamlej to the southeast. The fishing seasons runs from September to June and can be quite lucrative, with fishermen earning up to $45,000 in a good year.
In addition to the ban on killing the sharks, the fishing communities have been taught to rescue the shark if it gets entangled in their nets. The nets are 20 meters (66 feet) wide and 5 meters (16 feet) deep. As many 100 nets can be cast into the sea and left overnight, creating a wall over a mile long.
Husenkha is one of three WTI employees in the region. He is joined by biologist Charan Kumar Paidi and field officer Prakash Doriya, a former fisherman who has been trained to help rescue and tag the sharks. My role is to make sure that the fishermens motivation [to protect the shark] is maintained, Husenkha said.
The project has documented 710 whale shark rescues as of March 2019. Eight sharks have also been tagged for research purposes, while five whale shark pups have been logged by the local fishing community. According to BC Choudhury, the lead investigator of the project, the pups prove that whale sharks breed in the Arabian Sea off the western coast of India.
A spiritual approach
To win the hearts of the fishing communities, Morari Bapu a spiritual leader who has a large following in Gujarat was appointed the brand ambassador for the campaign. He would prove to be the perfect messenger.
The best thing that worked in the whale shark initiative was the involvement of Morari Bapu, Anju Baroth, a scientist with the Wildlife Institute of India, told Mongabay. If a scientist had gone and given a lecture about conservation, nothing would have gone into their heads. An approach which is close to their heart was required.
Since whale sharks are a migratory species, Bapu told the community a simple story: The whale shark, which he named Vhali, or dear one, was like a relative coming home to give birth. The community would not harm such a relative but protect and care for her and her child. In the same way, they must protect and care for the shark, which, despite its size, is a gentle creature that causes no harm. He also appealed to the communitys sense of Dharma. Killing the shark was a sin, he told them, while saving it would bring them good karma. To drive the message home, actors performed a skit based on this theme.
Though it took a few years to convince all the fishermen to get on board, today, there is a total ban [on whale shark hunting]. The mind-set has changed, Gohel said.
The project reinforces Bapus message every year with two community events. Since 2015, the project has celebrated international Whale Shark Day on August 30th. In addition, a culturally significant day in the Gujarati calendar has been designated Gujarat Whale Shark Day by the Forest Department. On that particular day, the fishers will not go out to sea. It is an important day to spend with their families, Husenkha said.
Follow the leader
The projects other important activity in building community support was getting the community heads, known as Patels, on its side. Such is their tradition that the writ of these heads is the law in their communities. Tulsibhai Gohel is the Patel in Veraval and heads an association that counts 2,100 fishing boat owners as members. Those who do not follow their Patels instructions are blackballed.
Once the community leader has decided not to hunt, if someone offers even $10,000 for a shark, we wont kill it, said Patel Jivabhai Bariya, former head of the Sutrapada Koli Fishermans Association. Jivabhai has personally helped rescue around 50 whale sharks. There is a sense of pride that has come with being part of the project too. The world knows that we have been protecting the whale shark and we are proud to be part of the project, Jivabhai said.
In late 2005, the Gujarat Forest Department agreed to compensate the fishermen for the nets that were ruined when they cut the shark free. When the hunting stopped, the whale shark population increased and more were getting stuck in the nets, Ratilal Hardas Bariya, Patel from Dhamlej, said. It was causing the fishermen a lot of trouble.
The department has paid out around $130,000 in compensation up to 2018, the latest year for which data are available. In 2010, the department also agreed to let fishermen document the rescues themselves using plastic film cameras provided by the project. This significantly cut down on the time taken to rescue the shark, and thereby reduced the stress on the fish. This year, the project has launched the Vhali app, so the fishermen can take photos or video on their smart phones.
The institutionalisation of the process for providing monetary relief to fishermen for net damages incurred during whale shark rescue operations has also contributed to the project success, Tatas Talwar said.
A holistic model
In 2005, Tata Chemicals was awarded the Green Governance Award for the project, and in 2014, the Gujarat Forest Department received a Biodiversity award from the UNDP and the Ministry of Environment. The Project has just started a similar project in Kerala in Indias far south.
The Whale Shark Conservation Project has been successful because each partner brought something different to the table. All these blocks were put together and the puzzle was solved, Baroth said. Companies have the money and traditionally the research community is always in the need of money.
For Talwar, it also provides evidence that companies can play a big role in conservation, with or without the CSR act. The need is for environmental organizations, which have knowledge about ecosystem and biodiversity, to raise the issues and rope in different companies depending upon their areas of influence.
FEEDBACK: Use this form to send a message to the editor of this post. If you want to post a public comment, you can do that at the bottom of the page.
- Baylor regents hear report from spirituality and character study - Baptist Standard - November 6th, 2019
- Religion and Spirituality Book Deals: November 6, 2019 - Publishers Weekly - November 6th, 2019
- These Celebrities Say Their Spiritual Journeys Have Benefitted Their Lives And Careers - Forbes - November 6th, 2019
- Why modern yoga should be more spiritual and less narcissistic - The Guardian - November 6th, 2019
- Trump's new 'spiritual adviser' thinks saying no to him is like saying no to God - The indy100 - November 6th, 2019
- Wealth inequality and spiritual currency | Torah Study - Jewish News of Greater Phoenix - November 6th, 2019
- Spirituality as Joy the Art of Spokane's Brittney Trambitas - spokanefavs.com - November 6th, 2019
- Rome's MAXXI celebrates the spiritual in art - Wanted in Rome - November 6th, 2019
- The spiritual value of Halloween - The News Star - November 6th, 2019
- "Harriet" Director on the Film's Themes of Spirituality, Love, and Family - UrbanFaith - November 6th, 2019
- Bronx-based nurse speaks on 'Spirituality and Health' - Caribbean Life - November 6th, 2019
- Classic ink paintings on show reveal the spiritual 'xieyi' style - Chinadaily USA - November 6th, 2019
- Are Humans Here in Search of a Corporeal or Spiritual Experience? - The Good Men Project - November 6th, 2019
- Festival takes care of mental, physical and spiritual health - Cyprus Mail - November 6th, 2019
- These Sunglasses Have "Spiritual Healing" Properties Thanks to a Tiny Detail on Their Frames - Yahoo Lifestyle - November 6th, 2019
- Meet the Spiritual Leader of the Hong Kong Protests - The Atlantic - November 6th, 2019
- In Japan, supernatural beliefs connect the spiritual realm with the earthly objects around us - The Conversation AU - November 6th, 2019
- Religious and spiritual online forums consist of chaotic, impactful ideas - Lamron - November 6th, 2019
- Spiritual Reflections: Grumbling, for many, is never just grumbling - SW News Media - November 6th, 2019
- Kasi Lemmons And The Spiritual Journey of 'Harriet' - HuffPost - November 6th, 2019
- Spirituality at Tufts: The Humanist Approach - Tufts Now - October 16th, 2019
- on the spiritual matter of art - Announcements - E-Flux - October 16th, 2019
- My Bhutan Pilgrimage-ish, Part Tourism, Part Leaning into the Spirituality of a Himalayan Buddhist Country - Patheos - October 16th, 2019
- Rudy Giulianis Ukraine smear pals courted powerful Jewish spiritual leaders and right-wing backers of Israe - New York Daily News - October 16th, 2019
- Amazon Synod Press Briefing: The spiritual dynamic of the Synod - Vatican News - October 16th, 2019
- "A Spiritual Experience": The Artist Behind a Rediscovered Last Supper Talks About Its Creation - Washingtonian - October 16th, 2019
- 500 SoCal Spiritualists, Marianne Williamson, and UCSD's PC Princess || PC Princess - The UCSD Guardian Online - October 16th, 2019
- Why Gitanjali JB wants to put the soul and spirituality back in Indian education - EdexLive - October 16th, 2019
- A man walked into a wild corner of Hatcher Pass last year on a spiritual quest. He never came out. - Anchorage Daily News - October 16th, 2019
- The Spiritual Need for the Arts - Juneau Empire - October 16th, 2019
- Pharrell on Evolving Masculinity, "Blurred Lines," and "Spiritual Warfare" - GQ - October 16th, 2019
- Rashad and Monica Bey - News-Talk 1380 WAOK - October 16th, 2019
- Exeter Cathedral to host 'spiritual' underwater video game service inspired by Jonah and the Whale - The Telegraph - October 16th, 2019
- Education & Health Experts fear new Quebec legislation will further erode religion in schools October 16 - Grandin Media - October 16th, 2019
- Spiritual Reflections: Even for a Midwesterner, work and play can be balanced - SW News Media - October 16th, 2019
- Opinion | Graham Rockingham: A year of living spiritually without religion - TheSpec.com - October 16th, 2019
- Workplace and spirituality: Meeting of opposites - The Manila Times - October 1st, 2019
- The spiritual meaning of St. Michaels name reminds us how we should live our lives - Aleteia EN - October 1st, 2019
- Kourtney Kardashian Opens Up About Her New Venture and Why She Wont Force Spirituality on Her Kids - PEOPLE.com - October 1st, 2019
- This Spiritual Fitness Experience Is Coming to Philly for the First Time Ever - phillymag.com - October 1st, 2019
- 4 Misconceptions That Keep You From Growing Spiritually - Patheos - October 1st, 2019
- 'My Year of Living Spiritually' is a book for the spiritual but not religious - rabble.ca - October 1st, 2019
- Religion and Spirituality Books Preview: October 2019 - Publishers Weekly - October 1st, 2019
- Critic's Notebook: 'This Way Up' Is More Than a Spiritual Cousin to 'Fleabag' - Hollywood Reporter - October 1st, 2019
- Knead & Seed is a haven for spiritual, emotional wellness in Sag Harbor - Northforker - October 1st, 2019
- This Darshan and one-day retreat in Eagle will bring spiritual awareness to all who attend - Vail Daily News - October 1st, 2019
- Panday honoured in Tobago by Spiritual Baptist - Trinidad Guardian - October 1st, 2019
- Institute for Priestly Formation puts spiritual lives of priests front and center - The Catholic Spirit - October 1st, 2019
- Music and spirituality at the end of life - OUPblog - September 29th, 2019
- Kourtney Kardashian Opens Up About Her New Venture and Why She Wont Force Spirituality on Her Kids - PEOPLE.com - September 29th, 2019
- Denzel Curry finds spirituality in boxing and reveals his most treasured memory - 88Nine Radio Milwaukee - September 29th, 2019
- Religion and Spirituality Books Preview: October 2019 - Publishers Weekly - September 29th, 2019
- This Darshan and one-day retreat in Eagle will bring spiritual awareness to all who attend - Vail Daily News - September 29th, 2019
- Critic's Notebook: 'This Way Up' Is More Than a Spiritual Cousin to 'Fleabag' - Hollywood Reporter - September 29th, 2019
- The New Moon Is In Libra, & Its Time To Get Romantic - Refinery29 - September 29th, 2019
- Princess Diana's Relationships With Psychics and Spiritual Healers - Showbiz Cheat Sheet - September 29th, 2019
- Spirituality and Health 3 Ways Faith Helps to Overcome Stress - spokanefavs.com - September 29th, 2019
- Book Review: My Year of Living Spiritually by Anne Bokma - Raise the Hammer - September 29th, 2019
- Spiritually Speaking: Being a blessing is the only road to being blessed - The Philadelphia Tribune - September 29th, 2019
- David Brooks discusses spiritual hunger, Weave project in Baylor visit - Waco Tribune-Herald - September 29th, 2019
- Meet Greta Thunbergs spiritual precursor: The 12-year-old who silenced the world - RT - September 29th, 2019
- Brad Pitt May Be Dating a Spiritual Healer But They Also May Just Be Friends - Jezebel - September 29th, 2019
- Children lead the way to stop violence, save Earth - National Catholic Reporter - September 29th, 2019
- Spiritual wanderlust in new books from Bay Area authors - The Jewish News of Northern California - September 19th, 2019
- Kanye West: What Religion Is the Rapper and Does He Have His Own Church? - Showbiz Cheat Sheet - September 19th, 2019
- In pursuit of the spiritual, practical, abundant | About The Valley - Walla Walla Union-Bulletin - September 19th, 2019
- Deepika Padukone's spiritual leaning showcases her unshakable faith in God - Times Now - September 19th, 2019
- PRAYER FOR ALL SEASONS SALAD LUNCHEON | Spirituality - The Southern - September 19th, 2019
- This Is How You Attract A Partner Who Has Spiritual Health & Wellness - YourTango - September 19th, 2019
- The Rev. Michael Haynes was the spiritual leader of Roxbury - The Boston Globe - September 19th, 2019
- Chance The Rapper Says Kanye West Still His Spiritual Advisor, Talks Paternity Leave - Hip-Hop Wired - September 19th, 2019
- Spiritual fulfilment - Economic Times - September 19th, 2019
- Cosmic Pineapple gets spiritual, ethical and eco-conscious - Ibiza Spotlight - September 19th, 2019
- GOP Congressman Says Marijuana Shops Near Churches Is Evidence Of 'Spiritual War' - Marijuana Moment - September 19th, 2019
- Spiritually Speaking: Out of time for Out of Town News - Wicked Local - September 19th, 2019
- Spiritual Reflections: Five things to say to someone who's dying - SW News Media - September 19th, 2019
- Meet Shaman Durek ' Hollywood's spiritual healer who's on a mission to make us all feel 'lit' - Lifestyle from Xpos - virginmediatelevision.ie - September 19th, 2019
- Author reflects on clerical celibacy as spiritual fatherhood - CatholicPhilly.com - September 19th, 2019
- Today's Video: How to Handle Spiritual Setbacks - thecatholictelegraph.com - September 19th, 2019
- Bible & Tire Recording Co. spotlights rich history, contemporary spiritual singers in Memphis - The Commercial Appeal - September 19th, 2019