Exclusive: Ted Danson Gets Hands-On With Our Oceans

For more than 25 years, the TV icon has made waves about preserving the high seas.

By Monica Corcoran Harel

September 13, 2011

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A Walk on the Beach Spurred Danson to Action

A Walk on the Beach Spurred Danson to Action

“Oceana came about like this: I was walking on the beach with my two young daughters in 1984, and we saw a sign that said ‘Beach Closed, Water Polluted.’ My kids didn’t understand how this was possible, and neither did I. So I began searching for answers and ended up at a neighborhood meeting about a local campaign opposing an oil company that wanted to drill right off Will Rogers State Park in California. There I met Robert Sulnick, who was leading the meeting. We ended up working together and won that campaign, and we liked each other’s company so much that we teamed up to form American Oceans Campaign, which merged into Oceana in 2001.”

Photo courtesy of Oceana

On an Expedition to Asses the Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

On an Expedition to Asses the Effects of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill

“I think marine biologists are great, but I am definitely not a marine biologist. I love acting, and I love bringing attention to the issue and getting more people involved.”

Photo courtesy of Oceana

Taking on Capitol Hill Alongside Phillipe Cousteau

Taking on Capitol Hill Alongside Phillipe Cousteau

“I go to Washington pretty much any time my presence is requested! I’ve testified before Congress and spoken at the National Press Club to fight for our oceans. I’m very proud to say that Oceana is a truly effective organization and accomplishes real, tangible wins for the ocean. It is really amazing—Oceana is only ten years old but we have won a lot of victories. For example, we’ve protected over a million square miles of ocean from a really destructive form of fishing called bottom trawling, stopped illegal driftnetting in the Mediterranean (and saved thousands of bluefin tuna and marine mammals) and passed legislation that curbs shark finning in Chile and the U.S. But, again, we could do even more with more support.”

Photo courtesy of Oceana

Danson Digs All Fish, Great and Small

Danson Digs All Fish, Great and Small

“I love seafood. Monterey Bay Aquarium has an amazing resource that tells you what the best types of fish are to eat based on your location. You can check it out at www.seafoodwatch.com and print one out to keep in your wallet, or even better, they have an amazing app you can download directly onto your phone so you can always check quickly if what is on the menu is sustainable. Also, it never hurts to ask your waiter. It shows that their customers care about sustainable seafood and protecting our oceans.”

Photo courtesy of Oceana

Fighting Foreign Fishing Subsidies at the World Trade Organization

Fighting Foreign Fishing Subsidies at the World Trade Organization

“The World Trade Organization seems like an unlikely savior for our oceans, but it could be a way to end government subsidies that artificially prop up the fishing industry. The global commercial fishing fleet receives more than $20 billion in harmful subsidies every year to go farther and deeper in pursuit of the last fish. Subsidies put too many boats on the water and are one of the main reasons we are catching more fish than our ocean can sustainably provide. I’ve traveled to Geneva and met with WTO delegations and leaders to encourage them to end these harmful subsidies as part of the next trade agreement passed by WTO member nations. The WTO has made great progress on this issue. It’s unclear if this WTO round will ‘close,’ but the good news is that fishery subsidies are now on the table and will—hopefully—be one of the items addressed when the next WTO agreement is reached.”

Photo courtesy of Oceana

From Sea to Shining Sea? Let's hope so.

From Sea to Shining Sea? Let's hope so.

“The good news is that we should all be optimistic. The oceans are resilient. If we give them a chance to recover, they will. The main immediate problem facing our oceans—out-of-control industrial fishing—is something we can quickly solve. In many cases, we just need to enforce the laws that are already on the books to make a big difference. Also, the science is pretty clear, if we protect fish populations, at certain times and places—for example, when fish are spawning—we can make a big impact. If you go to www.Oceana.org or follow us on Facebookor or Twitter, you can see how much progress we’ve made in just a few years. If we can get everyone here to sign up, we can do even more.”

Photo courtesy of Oceana

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When it comes to activism, Ted Danson doesn’t just dip his toes in the water. The ever affable actor—who just joined the cast of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation—has fought for conserving our oceans in every possible way, from protesting offshore oil drilling to testifying before congress. His new book, Oceana: Our Endangered Oceans and What We Can Do to Save Them (cowritten with Michael D’Orso), discusses the precarious health of our waters and offers solutions for preserving this vast and majestic natural resource.

Topics

Arts + Entertainment, Action + Impact, Environment, oceans, Oceana, Ted Danson

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