Ahmedabad (PTI): An extensive research on the endangered whale shark found off the Saurashtra coast -- arguably the first of its kind in the country -- involving the local fishing community will be launched shortly.

The Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) in collaboration with the state Forests and Environment Department and the National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) of Goa will conduct the five-year research to study whale shark habitat, map their migration, various aspects of their life cycles and genetic patterns.

With the commitment shown by the local fishing community for whale shark conservation in the coastal region of Saurasthra, a group of fishermen will be specially trained for project.

The research, which also includes the study of the coral reef along the Gujarat coastline, is being funded by the Jamnagar-based Tata Chemicals Limited.

Marine biodiversity expert from NIO, M Wafar, who is part of the core team of scientists for the project, said, "We will be training the local fishermen to collect samples from underneath the sea. They will also be taught how to click photographs of whale sharks using underwater cameras.

"The pictures will be used to create photo identification of the whales visiting the coast of Gujarat. Since the fishermen spent most of the time in the sea, it will be easy to get visuals of the fish if we train them in photography," Wafar told PTI.

He said the research will be carried out in a phased manner over five years.