The Maharashtra state mangrove cell has a new task on hand: to regulate dolphin tourism. With around 500 Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins being spotted in Sindhudurg, the cell is drawing up a slew of measures to monitor 'dolphin shows' in the waters of Sindhudurg.
The cell's main worry are boats carrying tourists going extremely close to dolphins. But then, how did the mangrove cell get involved here?
In March 2014, four youngsters – Ketaki Jog Mihir Sule, Isha Bopardikar, Dipani Sutaria and Vardhan Patankar – from the Konkan Cetacean Research Team started a study. It was supported by the Union government and the United Nations Development Programme, and the Maharashtra State Mangrove ell is the implementing agency.
Apart from other studies in the 120-km coast of Sindhudurg, they are also trying to obtain estimates of the population size and mortality rates of Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins and Finless Porpoises.
"This is for the first time such a detailed study is being carried out and that a team is staying for such a long time in the sea documenting dolphins and porpoises," says N Vasudevan, Chief Conservation of Forest (CCF), mangrove cell.
"So far, the team has observed around 500 dolphins and identified around 308 individual dolphins, based on fin patterns. As the study progresses, we are sure the number will increase. That's wonderful news, but it also calls for greater conservation work," he says.
"Dolphin- watching is almost a must for tourists visiting Sindhudurg and we have to ensure that it is carried out in an eco-friendly manner. It should not affect the movements of dolphins or disturb them. If they are disturbed, they will leave that location and the boats will have to move deeper in search of them," says Vasudevan.
A conservationist, who did not wished to be named, said that there was an urgent need for regulating dolphin shows as it is not under any control, though operated in the Malwan Marine Sanctuary. "Boats, at times, go extremely close to dolphins and even chase them for entertaining tourists. There are also no restriction on the number of boats," he said.
So what's the cell's plan? For one, it's holding camps for show operators to make them understand dolphin behaviour and also about their roles in conserving dolphins. "Our team is working on some booklets and other materials that can be used as a pocket guide," said Vasudevan.
The mangrove cell is also keen to expand the study to the entire Konkan coast region. But the conservationist had the final word. "The mangrove cell should certainly regulate dolphin tourism. But it should not ban tourism but make operators major stakeholders in conservation plans," he said.
That's a win-win idea: for the tourists as well as the dolphins!
