Danajon Bank is one of the most important marine ecosystems in the Pacific Ocean and home to at least 200 threatened animals, including the tiger-tail seahorse, says the conservation group Project Seahorse. The area is also threatened with overfishing.
Project Seahorse is launching an effort to photograph the reefs at Danajon, as part of a campaign to win them legal protection. It has also partnered with Interface, Inc., "the world's largest modular carpet manufacturer," to recycle discarded fishing nets littering the reef. Such nets are the world's largest and cleanest source of post-consumer nylon, the company says.
Would you like to go?
If you're a writer who can "secure a U.S./global top-tier assignment" the publicist Anne Isenhower says her client will cover your expenses. That comes from an email that's been circulating to science writers, which doesn't say who her client is.
I can think of plenty of writers who would love to go. I understand why the conservation folks want to promote the area, and I think this is a worthy cause.
But none of that justifies taking money from an interested party. And news outlets that would be considered "top-tier" should not allow a writer to accept a deal like that.
If Isenhower's client wants to publicize the conservation project, she should send out releases, help with trip logistics (as she offers to do), and provide video and photos for outlets that need them. Offering to pay for the trip crosses a time-honored line.
I think the world I'm looking for here is–junket.
-Paul Raeburn
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