FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

EXPEDITION TO ANTARCTICA LIMITED EDITION
PHOTOGRAPHS MADE AVAILABLE BY MIKE DARLING

Profits will be matched and donated to the "Save the Albatross Campaign" by Birds Australia.


MISSOULA, MT (March 23, 2007) - Inetekk.com, Inc., Inc. President Mike Darling (co-founder and chief developer of the Veretekk™ Automated Marketing System) announced today that 63 limited edition original photographs from his recent visit to Antarctica and the Falkland Islands will be made available for purchase in an effort to raise funding for the "Save the Albatross Campaign" by Birds Australia.

   "It's hard not to want to become an "Ambassador for Antarctica" after having visited this extraordinary place", stated Darling. "The effects of 100 years of uncontrolled fishing and whaling activity and lack of an effective international wildlife management policy during that time is clearly visible today through dramatically reduced whale populations and the associated environmental imbalance that has occurred. Now, in what many consider the most pressing avian conservation issue currently faced worldwide, the time honored albatross is at risk to having its populations devastated by irresponsible longline fisheries. Such a tragedy would not only push another wonderful species into extinction, but also create an additional domino effect as a new ecological imbalance ripples through the world's largest remaining wilderness area in Antarctica."
 
Of the 1000's of photographs taken by Darling during the 16-day journey to The Frozen Continent, 63 have been specially selected for limited reproduction. Each original photo will be printed, numbered, and signed just 12 times. These limited edition pieces will be available for purchase online at www.MikeDarling.com as well as through several local venues in Missoula, MT. Profits from the sale of the photos will be matched by Mike Darling and donated to the Save the Albatross Campaign.   
 
   A slide show/video presentation of the trip will also be shown in Missoula, thanks to the support of the new owners of Hammer Jacks (now called The Badlander). The date and time of the presentation will be posted online and advertised locally in Missoula. Following the live presentation it will be posted on www.MikeDarling.com.

The limited edition photographs will be on display for Missoula's First Friday event on April 6, 2007 at Dauphine's Cafe. They will remain on display during the month of April, along with additional information about the artist and trip as well as how to purchase the photographs.
About the "Save the Albatross Campaign".

   Every year, tens of thousands of albatrosses and petrels get killed in the world's longline fisheries when they unwittingly seize baited hooks intended for catching fish. This mortality has caused large decreases in these seabird populations, is ongoing and is threatening the existence of many species.

Efforts to make longline fisheries safe for seabirds are being hampered by the lack of funds, particularly to support initiatives in developing countries. 		  

Seabird Conservation in Fisheries advisory group has been established to identify key issues and research priorities. This group includes:

  • Ms Janice Molloy - Department of Conservation, New Zealand
  • Ms Sally Poncet - Falkland Islands
  • Professor John Croxall - British Antarctic Survey
  • Dr Marco Favero - University of Mar del Plata, Argentina
  • Dr Euan Dunn - Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, UK
  • Mr Carles Carboneras, BirdLife, Spain
  • Mr Ed Melvin, Washington Sea Grant Program, USA
  • Dr Carlos Moreno, University of Southern Chile, Chile
  • Mr Eric Gilman, Blue Oceans Institute, USA
  • Dr Graham Robertson - Australian Antarctic Division

    You can help save these remarkable birds by donating to this important campaign. Profits from the sale of the Antarctic limited edition photographs will be matched by Mike Darling and forwarded to the Save the Albatross Campaign. Contributions will go toward:

  • Working with longline fishing industries to help make exiting fishing practices seabird-safe.
  • Working with longline gear manufacturers to design new, seabird-safe fishing gear.
  • Purchase of seabird avoidance devices for longline vessels in developing countries.
  • Outreach programs to fishermen, fisheries management agencies, and governments
  • Research on the interactions between albatrosses and fisheries.
  • Research on trends in threatened albatross populations.

    You can help decide which it will be:

       OR   
    About Inetekk.com, Inc.
    Inetekk is a privately held corporation specializing in automated marketing and advertising systems for the direct sales industry since 1996. With over 50,000 current Veretekk subscribers and over 5 million Traffic Portal system users worldwide, Veretekk is widely acknowledged as the industry leader and has defined the professional standard for ethical online marketing including a 100% Spam free environment. Inetekk.com, Inc. 7115 Calabria Ct. #D San Diego, CA 92122 858-863-9099.