Gujarat’s coastal belt will observe the 19th Whale Shark Day on Kartak Amaas, falling on November 20 this year. The state-level event will take place at the Somnath Community Hall in Mangrol, Junagadh, with senior forest officials, Wildlife Trust of India members, community leaders, and schoolchildren in attendance.
Saurashtra Fishermen Lead the Conservation Drive
Fishermen across Saurashtra have played a key role in protecting the world’s largest fish, rescuing nearly 1,000 whale sharks that were accidentally trapped in nets over the years.
The movement gained momentum after spiritual leader Morari Bapu urged fishermen to view the whale shark as the “daughter of the sea,” encouraging them to protect the species and its offspring.
Since 2006, the Forest Department has bolstered the effort by offering compensation of up to ₹50,000 to fishermen who cut their nets during rescue operations. Whale Shark Day was first proposed in 2007 by then forest minister Mangubhai Patel.
Before the conservation drive, whale sharks were widely hunted for their fins and liver oil, with each shark fetching between 2 lakh and 3 lakh. An estimated 600 whales were killed in earlier years.