Fishers Turn Protectors of the World’s Largest Fish

India’s coastal fishers in Kerala are increasingly rescuing endangered whale sharks caught in nets, helping one of the ocean’s largest and gentlest species survive along the Arabian Sea coast.

“Whale sharks are an endangered migratory species that visit this coast every year,” said Sajan John, Coordinator of Marine Projects at the Wildlife Trust of India. “Without the help of fishers, many of them would not survive.”

Local fishers have now helped rescue and release 54 whale sharks along Kerala’s coast, including three in a single day near Thiruvananthapuram. The effort is part of a wider conservation programme that has supported more than 1,000 whale shark rescues across India, combining fisher training, emergency response networks and compensation for damaged nets, helping protect a species that can grow over 12 metres long while fostering a new culture of marine stewardship.