India’s whale shark rescue mission expands to Goa with Pan-India conservation push

After saving over 1,000 whale sharks in Gujarat and Kerala, the Wildlife Trust of India has extended its rescue-and-release initiative to Goa, offering ₹75,000 compensation to fishers who cut nets to free the species.

After over 1,000 whale shark rescues on India’s west coast in Gujarat and Kerala, a similar initiative was launched in Goa on International Whale Shark Day (August 30), marking the beginning of the Pan-India Whale Shark Conservation Project.

The initiative, led by the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) with the Goa Forest Department and Centre for Environment Education (CEE), and supported by Oracle, aims to engage coastal communities, policymakers and industry stakeholders in whale shark conservation and marine biodiversity protection.

The campaign was flagged off at the Goa Science Centre and Planetarium, Panaji, by Goa Forest Minister Vishwajit Rane, who called for collective efforts to safeguard marine life. He announced a compensation of ₹75,000 for fishers who cut their nets to release whale sharks, along with other measures to support marine conservation.

The event included an address by Prof BC Choudhury, Senior Advisor, Aquatic Projects, WTI, a keynote by Vivek Menon, Founder & Executive Director, WTI, and a special address by Dia Mirza Rekhi, UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador for India and WTI Trustee.

A panel discussion on “Navigating Conservation: Multi-Stakeholder Perspectives on Goa’s Ocean Health,” moderated by Prof Choudhury, featured representatives from government and non-government organisations. A skit in Konkani highlighted threats to migratory marine species and the role of local communities in their protection.

“Whale sharks have been documented along Goa’s coast in the past, and our radio tagging in Gujarat also confirms this. Extending the project to Goa ensures protection of the species along the entire west coast,” Menon said.

“Saving the whale shark ensures that the wider marine ecosystem is protected. It is significant that the project has now reached Goa, a state known for its marine life and tourism,” Dia Mirza said.