Gandhinagar:  The Indian Coast Guard would join forces with the marine police and customs to act as wildlife wardens, for combatting dolphin poaching along the state’s coast, the Gujarat government informed the state assembly on Tuesday.

As per the Gujarat forest department, there are around 200 dolphins in the Marine National Park and the dolphin tourism zone.

In response to a motion tabled by several MLAs to inquire about the steps taken by the government to safeguard sharks and dolphins, Forest Minister Mulubhai Bera said that the department will establish a reliable information network and strengthen its ties with local fishermen to prevent such incidents from occurring in Gujarat waters.

Additionally, Bera stated that on March 15, ten fishermen were detained off the coast of Porbandar, and their boat contained the carcasses of 22 dolphins and four bull sharks. He defended Gujarat’s fishing community, stating that they avoid catching dolphins and other endangered marine species, and even if they are caught accidentally, they release them back into the water by cutting the nets. DeshGujarat