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January 22, 2008

Law and Order Coming to the Oceans

BY: KC

Some might recognize Sam Waterston for his role as Eugene Sutphin, D.D.S. in the John Water’s romp Serial Mom or as the peddler of robot insurance for Saturday Night Live’s fictional Old Glory Insurance commercial. But I would venture to say that the majority of people who know Sam Waterston have seen him as the hard-nosed prosecutor Jack McCoy on NBC’s “Law and Order.”

Today Oceana announced that Waterston, who grew up on the New England Coast, is jumping ship from Oceana’s Ocean Council to the Board of Directors. Click more to read excerpts from the press release. …Sam Waterston’s New Cause: Helping to Save the World’s OceansOscar-nominated Actor and Star of NBC’s “Law & Order”Joins Ted Danson on Board of Directors of Ocean Conservation Group, Oceana

Washington, DC — Oceana announced today that Oscar-nominated actor and star of NBC’s Law & Order, Sam Waterston, has joined its Board of Directors. He had previously been a member of the group’s advisory board, the Ocean Council.

“I got involved with Oceana initially because I grew up beside the ocean in New England and loved it, When I learned that the collapse of the New England cod fishery was final, with all that meant for the communities and fishermen there, I wanted to help,” noted Waterston. “I started to read more and more scientific reports clearly showing that our oceans are headed towards an irreversible collapse and I learned that Oceana was actually doing something about it. I like their science-based, results driven approach. When asked to join the board, I felt that I had to join and do all that I could.”

He added, “I want to help to make sure that what’s happened in New England doesn’t happen everywhere else in the world.”

Oceana’s Board of Directors is the organization’s governing body. It approves all strategy, budgets and direction for the group’s campaigns and organizational activities. Other notable members of Oceana’s board include actor Ted Danson, former Organization of American States Secretary General César Gaviria and world famous fisheries scientist Dr. Daniel Pauly.

Waterston will be an active board member and plans to join Danson as one of the group’s principal spokespeople. Danson has been on the board of Oceana and its predecessor, the American Oceans Campaign (which he helped to found) for over 20 years. “What a coup for Oceana,” said Danson. “I love Sam’s work as an actor and I am very excited to have an excuse to spend more time with him. I know he will help Oceana get even more done. It really is incredible how much we’ve been able to get done in the past few years.”

“We think Sam will help us win more victories,” said Andrew Sharpless, Oceana’s Chief Executive Officer. “He is one of the most trusted and well known actors in America and the hidden problem of the seas needs him. We believe Sam will turn many more people into ocean activists, a critical factor in the fight to turn the tide for our oceans.”