(IN) 20 million rupees pledged for marine conservation in India by corporate group

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*Tata Chemicals Limited pledges Rs 20 million

for whale shark & coral conservation *

 

*Ahmedabad (Gujarat), November 17, 2008: Tata Chemicals Limited (TCL), the

Gujarat Forest Department and Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) today joined

hands to start a pioneering conservation project on whale shark and coral

reefs. *

 

*The 20 million (rupees) grant from Tata Chemicals Limited, one of the

largest for wildlife research by any corporate house in India, follows on

from TCL's earlier support of the four-year-old whale shark campaign that

successfully stopped the commercial hunting of the world's largest fish on

the coast of Gujarat in western India. *

 

*At an event in Ahmedabad today WTI signed two Memoranda of Understanding,

one with the Gujarat Forest Department and one with Tata Chemicals to work

towards the science and conservation of whale sharks and coral reefs in

Gujarat. *

 

*The first marine conservation initiative of its kind in India, the whale

shark conservation project will include extensive studies on its habitat,

migration pattern, life cycle, population estimation etc to enable more

effective protection measures. The study will also undertake a feasibility

study on whale shark tourism in the region. Likewise, the research on corals

will include study of coral diversity, mapping habitat, threats, and

experiments on coral transplantation. This will eventually help establish

India's first privately conserved coral reef at Mithapur, which would serve

as a global role model to conserve these endangered habitats. *

 

*The project will be implemented in association with the National Institute

of Oceanography (NIO) and technical inputs from Indian and international

marine experts. *

 

*Homi Khusrokhan, Managing Director, TCL, said, " We, at Tata Chemicals have

been in the forefront in the conservation of the environment and the well

being of the local community that we are engaged with. This initiative is

the next step towards taking the conservation efforts on a national scale

that was started four years ago. There was greater need to undertake

research on these rare species which will not only help us preserve them for

our future generation but also create opportunities that will boost tourism

for the state and thereby pass on the benefits to the local people through

employment possibilities. " *

 

*The collaboration in whale shark conservation between Gujarat Forest

Department, WTI-IFAW and TCL began in January 2004 with the launch of the

widely-acclaimed **whale shark campaign*<http://wti.org.in/whale_shark2.html>

*. With the support of other major players including the local community,

popular spiritual leader Morari Bapu, and the Coast Guard, the campaign

successfully converted the whale shark from a brutally hunted species to a

celebrated flagship popularly referred to as Vhali – the loved one. *

 

*The success of the whale shark campaign was marked by the change in

attitude of the stakeholders. Within a year of its initiation, local

fishermen began voluntary release of accidentally-trapped whale sharks,

enthusiastically taking pride in its protection. The Gujarat Forest

Department announced compensation to fishermen who sacrifice their nets for

whale shark release, this helped to strengthen the effort. Nearly 80 whale

sharks have been released since the start of the campaign. *

 

*Only a decade ago, the whale shark was brutally hunted in hundreds along

the Gujarat coast for its liver oil to water proof boats and also for its

meat, which was exported. On May 28, 2001, the species was listed under

Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, banning its hunt.

However, its continued vulnerability became evident through a TNS survey

which indicated low awareness of the presence and legal status of this

species, prompting a need for the campaign.

 

" It would normally take about 10 years for the conservation of a

commercially exploited species to kick in, but here we have managed to cut

through time and limited resources to activate a response in 4 years, on the

strength of the concept of the campaign. It was a combination of key ideas -

we provided information on the species, created a flagship with the

life-size whale shark inflatable that drew people wherever it was taken, the

spiritual leader Morari Bapu connected emotionally to the traditional and

cultural ethics of local people and fishing communities, a huge groundswell

of response was generated from young people and schoolchildren and the

effect of the campaign was consistently and professionally surveyed to

measure its outcome. Today all of us who collaborated on this effort can

finally hope that whale sharks in India are in safe waters... " said Vivek

Menon, Executive Director, WTI. *

 

*Pradeep Khanna, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Chief Wildlife

Warden, Gujarat Forest Department, said, " We along with WTI and TCL have

successfully worked on the whale shark conservation project for over 3

years. We are now looking at filling the gap in information on whale sharks.

I am looking forward for inputs for whale shark based tourism to benefit the

local community that has made major economic sacrifice. " *

 

* " Coral, another field of wildlife conservation, is less explored and needs

significant scientific inputs for conservation. I hope that the interest

shown by WTI and NIO with support from TCL will provide vital inputs for

long term conservation of corals, " Khanna added. *

 

*Terming the collaboration as a major conservation initiative, Dr SK Nanda,

Principal Secretary Forest and Environment, said, " I am glad that WTI is

taking active interest in Gujarat while TCL is supporting the cause. The

government with its forward outlook will make best use of the inputs in

furthering the cause of conservation with communities. NIO's scientific back

up will ensure major gains for these projects. I am sure the success of the

effort will act as a role model and will lead to many more similar

initiatives. " *