Tee Shirt Project

In late 2002 Albatross Encounter had their own tee shirt designed to sell in their merchandising shop. As a means of contributing toward the plight of the albatross and other seabirds being killed by unsafe fishing practices, we decided that we would contribute $5 from the sale of every tee shirt to a worthy cause or project either within New Zealand, or if the need be, anywhere else in the world. The tee shirt featuring an image of an antipodean albatross by photographer Dennis Buurman was on sale during the busy tourist season of 2002-03. By March 2003, 200 tee shirts had been sold and we donated our first contribution of $1000.00 to a project selected by Southern Seabird Solutions. This project was the development of a line-setting capsule by inventor and fisherman, Dave Kellian. We added $500.00 to this contribution, so in total $1500.00 was contributed to the project.  

Dave Kellian is an inventor and an ex tuna fisherman who is passionate about seabirds and keen to find the "silver bullet" to solve the problem. He had been working on an underwater setting device that sets the baits underwater some 10 metres down. In the early stages the Department of Conservation was able to assist Dave financially, but since then Dave had to pay for further development from his own reserves. This contribution assisted Dave in the continuation of his project.

Following is the press release made by Janice Molloy of the Department of Conservation and Southern Seabird Solutions:

Donation from Ocean Wings

Lynette and Dennis Buurman and Ian Bradshaw of Albatross Encounter (www.albatrossencounter.co.nz) have donated $1500 to Southern Seabird Solutions. The funds were raised through sale of Ocean Wings teeshirts featuring an antipodean wandering albatross and will be used to cover the cost of manufacture of Dave Kellian's underwater setting prototype. If the device is found to be practical and effective it could have wide application in tuna fisheries around the world.

Dennis, Lynette and Ian will continue to donate $5 from the sale of each albatross teeshirt, so keep the sales coming! Check out their website for ordering.

A further $1100.00 from the tee shirt fund, generously supported by donations made by clients who have gone out on the Ocean Wings boat, was donated in December 2003. After consultation with Janice Malloy, the chief advocate for the Department of Conservation in the save the albatross campaign, we decided to once again support the efforts of Dave Kellian and his underwater bait-setting device which was nearing completion. Trials were proving very encouraging and Dave was conducting further trials in Australia. We would like to thank all who have bought the tee shirt or made generous donations.

An illustration of the device is featured below.

Albatross Encounter continues to support efforts by individuals or organisations by donations made from their tee shirt sales of this tee shirt.