Joins hands with state forest department and Wildlife Trust of India to set up research centre for marine conservation.
After working on the whale shark conservation programme along the coasts of Gujarat for four years, Tata Chemicals Ltd (TCL) is now looking at filling the gap when it comes to research on whale shark and coral reef.
In order to create awareness and undertake research to save the endangered species of whale shark and corals at the Mithapur coast in Saurashtra region, Tata Chemicals, Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and National Institute of Oceanography have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Gujarat Forest Department.
With a corpus of Rs 2 crores from Tata Chemicals, the initiative will see the setting up of a research centre for marine conservation. “We, at Tata Chemicals, have been committed to the preservation of the environment together with the well being of the local communities we are engaged with. This initiative is our first step in taking the conservation efforts to a cause that is important globally and to understand through scientific research this rare species of fish whose numbers are dwindling,” said Homi Khusrokhan, managing director, Tata Chemicals.
As part of the collaboration, a study will be conducted on the whale shark habitat, map its migration, various aspects of its lifecycle, its genetic patterns, estimate the population and document the results for effective and efficient protection.
On the other hand, a research on corals, including a study on coral diversity, mapping, habitat, threats and experiments for coral transplanting will feed scientific information to the proposed interpretation centre at Mithapur and a major initiative in coral transplanting. Also, the study will explore whale shark tourism opportunities in the region, making the project a first-of-its-kind in the country.
“The coral reef in Mithapur is spread in about 2 kms area. We also plan to conserve coral reefs in the Gulf of Kutch region also,” said Dhiresh Joshi, coordinator, Wildlife Trust of India.
The Mithapur coast features a coral reef that is teeming with marine biodiversity. The reef harbours six different types of hard corals including the brain corals, the star corals, the moon corals, the plate corals, the priorities corals and the staghorn corals. “The prized possession of this reef is the rare bonnelias, which are normally not seen living collectively,” according to Satish Trivedi, an official of TCL working on the project.
Till date, about 80 whale sharks have been released by the state’s forest department. “This is the beginning of a major conservation initiative with public-private partnership and the government is committed to the cause. The Saurashtra coast is a preferred destination of whale sharks because of its ecological health.
The research inputs will pave way for whale shark tourism, extending the benefit to the local people,” said SK Nanda, principal secretary, forest and environment. The Gujarat Forest Department has granted financial compensation to the extent of Rs 25,000 for loss or damage of net during the release of whale sharks accidentally caught.
