The whale shark, protected and classified as a vulnerable species world wide, migrates from as far as the waters of Australia and Mexico to give birth in the warmth of the Arabian Sea along the Saurashtra coast. They are often found just 1-2 km off the fishing ports of Veraval, Dwarka, Diu, Mangrol and Porbandar.

The rare guests were hunted in the hundreds every year by fishermen who modify their normal fishing boats, arming them with harpoons weighing 8 to 10 kg and ropes tied to half a dozen empty plastic barrels. “The worst part is they would start cutting it alive. The waters of Veraval and Bhidiya harbour used to turn red,” says K Babariya, Veraval range forest officer.

Agents of fish processing and export firms would pay up to Rs 1 lakh for a 40-foot whale shark weighing 8 to 10 tonnes. Its fins, liver from which oil is extracted, and meat has great demand and fetch a heavy price in the international market. In the coastal fishing towns, it is said that if a fisherman netted two whale sharks in a season he could afford to sit at home the rest of the year.

As the whale shark fetch such a huge price, I felt there was jealousy among a majority of fishermen. Some were angry too. That is when I felt I should tell them about the strict laws against killing this whale,” Morari Bapu said.

“Till then I did not know why and under what laws the whale shark was protected. I learnt a little bit, like the maximum jail sentence if one is caught, why the whale shark is an endangered species, and started spreading awareness, he said.

... contd.