WWF-India working closely with Goa fishers to conserve guitarfish

In September 2021, the largest widenose guitarfish (Glaucostegus obtusus), 114.3 cm in length, was found on the Caranzalem coast. The maximum length of this variety of guitarfish is 93 cms.

This was disclosed by Aditya Kakodkar, Senior Coordinator, Marine Conservation of WWF-India (Goa office), at a press conference held in Siridao on Sunday.

THREE-YEAR STUDY

The WWF Goa office is in the middle of a three-year study funded by Sony India to collect data on this endangered species and at the same time help in its conservation.

Speaking about the project, Kakodkar said WWF has been conducting research for the last one-and-half year in which it has surveyed 17 coastal stretches in Goa and spoken to 112 fishermen.

The main idea of the project is to improve the near-shore habitat of the guitarfish by managing discarded nets and other fishing gear. Kakodkar said small efforts would make a large impact on guitarfish conservation, like the release of live individuals caught in their nets as bycatch.

In the long term, the plan is to inculcate the idea of community-based coastal habitat conservation with the involvement of the fishing community, he mentioned.

THREATENED SPECIES

"We spoke to older fishermen and found out that the quantity of guitarfish caught in their rampon (fish net) earlier was much more than what they net now," he said. "Right now, we do not have any data, but three years from now, we will be able to make conclusions," he added.

It is believed three of the seven species of guitarfish, which are critically endangered, are present in Goa's coastal waters, and, according to WWF-Goa, it is certain that these species are either threatened due to habitat loss or are nearing extinction due to unintentional catch.

CARANZALEM: HUB OF GUITARFISH

The WWF-Goa project focuses on the interaction of the guitarfish with artisanal gear like shore seine (rampon) and gill nets deployed by fishers using small vessels with outboard motors.

According to Kakodkar, most of the guitarfish are found on the Caranzalem shore and one of the reasons for this could be the wide rampon the fishermen of this place use to net fish. Around 77 guitarfish have been found at Caranzalem this season, he informed.

CLOSELY RELATED TO SHARKS & RAYS

Still, little is known about the distribution of guitarfish, which are closely related to sharks and rays, along the coast of Goa. Guitarfish are important components of coastal socio-ecological systems. "Even though in Goa guitarfish is discarded, across the world and in India, its fins have a good market value," Kakodkar said.

"In Goa, people used to dry and pickle guitarfish to make the famous parra. Besides this, fishermen found no use for it, and the fish found its way to fish meal industries to prepare feed for poultry farms," he stated.

WHY IS GUITARFISH IMPORTANT?

Kakodkar said guitarfish, which is found in inter-tidal areas, is a predator and is an important component of the food chain cycle. In India, guitarfish are found in tropical waters and keep other fish of the habitat away from harm, he added.

Guitarfish are mesopredators and play an important role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem in the intertidal zone, which are fish nurseries, he stated.

THREE SPECIES IN GOA

He said out of the seven species of guitarfish, sharpnose guitarfish, widenose guitarfish and stripenose guitarfish are commonly found in Goa. Besides Caranzalem, in Siridao, too, this fish was found. Now, WWF-Goa will conduct surveys in Palolem to find the presence of the fish, he stated.

WWF-Goa office in partnership with Sony India, on Sunday, conducted the third session of the Fishermen Awareness Programme, to educate fishermen about protecting guitarfish. The objective of this programme was to sensitise the fishing community about the importance of guitarfish in the marine ecosystem and the need to conserve it.

CSR INITIATIVE

Speaking earlier at the press conference, Puneet Rampal (HR Operations & CSR) of Sony India Pvt Ltd said the tie-up with WWF-India was part of the company's CSR initiative for an environmental project.