Adam's+Paper

Adam's Paper

The Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) is a grassroots corporation that fights against fishing corporation and also fights against states and their fishing laws and regulation. This is all done to try and stop the overfishing of sport fish. The organization was started with because of a mass overfishing of the red drum fish in Texas in the 1970's. To stop this the CCA fought to get state fishing regulations in the state of Texas to stop the overfishing of red drum and to help build back the red drum population in Texas. After such great success with the red drum population and the state of Texas fishing regulation, the CCA expanded to other states and other species of sport fish. By doing this the CCA has been fighting to stop the overfishing of many sport fish by fishing corporation, and worked with the U.S. government to get national Coastal Conservation regulations and laws passed. The Coastal Conservation Association is truly working against the dominant institutions and dominant social paradigms in today's' world**//.//** **Coastal Conservation Association mission statement**: The stated purpose of the Coastal Conservation Association is to advise and educate the public on conservation of marine resources. The objective of the Coastal Conservation Association is to conserve, promote and enhance the present and future availability of these coastal resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the general public. ==== **Coastal Conservation Association History**: "Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) is a non-profit organization comprised of 17 coastal state chapters spanning the Gulf of Mexico,the Atlantic seaboard and the Pacific Northwest. Coastal Conservation Association’s strength is drawn from the tens of thousands of recreational saltwater anglers who make up its membership. From South Texas to the upper reaches of Maine, Coastal Conservation Association’s grassroots influence is felt through state capitals, U.S. Congress and, most importantly, in the conservation and restoration of our coastal marine resources. ====  Coastal Conservation Association began in 1977 after drastic commercial overfishing along the Texas coast decimated red drum and speckled trout populations. Fourteen concerned recreational anglers created the Gulf Coast Conservation Association to combat commercial fishing excesses and conserve the resource. Coastal Conservation Association’s spirit of conservation and stewardship started with the "Save the Redfish" campaign and soon swept across the entire Gulf Coast. By 1985, Gulf-state chapters had formed from Texas to Florida. By decade’s end, state chapters were founded through the mid-Atlantic region, and by the early ‘90s, development of the New England state chapters was completed. In 2007, Washington and Oregon opened Coastal Conservation Association chapters. Coastal Conservation Association has been active in virtually every national fisheries debate since 1984 and has participated productively in state and federal fisheries management issues for longer than three decades. Coastal Conservation Association continues to operate as a three-tiered organization, affecting issues on the local, state and national levels. Coastal Conservation Association’s unmatched breadth and depth of volunteer involvement has made it the largest marine conservation group of its kind. It’s grassroots network and unique combination of membership, fundraising and advocacy have enacted positive change on all levels of coastal marine conservation and management. When called into action, the impact of Coastal Conservation Association’s grassroots machine is unparalleled. Coastal Conservation Association’s presence in the federal court system has been critical in conserving America’s fisheries. Coastal Conservation Association’s legal defense fund has been used to defend net bans and the implementation of bycatch reduction devices, and to support pro-fisheries legislation and battle arbitrary no-fishing zones. Coastal Conservation Association and its state-chapter network are engaged in hundreds of local, state and national programs and projects related to marine conservation, including initiating scientific studies, funding marine-science scholarships, building artificial reefs, creating finfish hatcheries, initiating hydrologic and contaminant studies, monitoring the quality and quantity of freshwater inflows, supporting local marine law enforcement and more. Through broad-based recreational angler support, a strong legal and legislative presence, decades of experience, and an unwavering vision for the future of U.S. and global marine resources, Coastal Conservation Association will continue to battle for the health and longevity of our coastal fisheries and for recreational anglers’ interests in them." ( http://www.joincca.org/CCA%20Story.html)
 * //COASTAL CONSERVATION ASSOCIATION (CCA)//**
 * Coastal Conservation Association Random Facts: **
 * CCA has more than 206 chapters of organized anglers throughout 17 coastal states with a current combined membership of more than 100,000, the highest level ever. CCA’s state and national staff members coordinate more than 400 chapter events and fundraisers each year.
 * CCA has more than 80 state and national committees, 150 national board directors, more than 900 board members – on local, state, and national levels – and tens of thousands of active volunteers contributing to the organization's daily development and growth.
 * CCA is recognized by fisheries managers as instrumental in the recovery of red drum, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, speckled trout, striped bass and Atlantic weakfish.
 * CCA helped establish game fish status for bill fish and red drum, net bans in four states, and the prohibition of many destructive gear types. We have been instrumental in establishing far-reaching conservation legislation on both the state and federal levels.