1. What is CCA Georgia?
2. What is the CCA's General Policies?
3. What is the Origin of the Georgia CCA
4. How do I join?
5. How is the CCA organized?
6. Where does my membership money go?
7. Where does the Banquet or Fundraising money go to?
8. Why have fund-raisers? Can't membership dollars pay for the cost of the organization?
9. What has the CCA Georgia Done?
10. What's on the agenda?

What is CCA Georgia?

We are active saltwater fishing communities dedicated to protecting and improving the marine fishery for present and future generations. We have nine chapters in Georgia comprising over 1,700 members, and we are growing daily.

CCA Georgia was formed in 1985, by a group of volunteers who wanted to see the marine fishery resource conserved and perpetuated. They had seen their catches decline and watched as they had little or no say in the regulatory process that manages fish stocks. They were appalled at the uncontrolled trawler roller-rig damages to offshore habitat and this became an issue to allow the group into action.

As chartered, the overall objective of CCA Georgia is to promote and advance the preservation, conservation, restoration, and protection of the marine fisheries and habitats of the Georgia coast, both inshore and offshore, for the benefit and responsible utilization of the public.

General Policies: General Policies

Within the context of the overall objective stated above, we have adopted the following general policies:

1. CCA Georgia supports regulation of both commercial and recreational fishery practices which threaten to degrade the marine and estuarine environment or over exploit marine species. CCA Georgia will always work to protect the resource in question, and may choose to do this by combining forces with other recreational, sport, conservation, or other groups when it is advantageous to do so.

2. CCA Georgia Supports the allocation of State and Federal resources for the effective enforcement of marine game and  fish laws, statutes, and regulations. CCA Georgia also supports the development of penalties and court procedures which limit judicial discretion so the consequences for breaking the law are sufficient enough to discourage violations

3. CCA Georgia supports efforts which encourage full cooperation between the Federal and State agencies which are charged with protecting the marine environment. Ideally, we would like to see all State and Federal laws which impact both Georgia’s inshore and offshore environments be fully compatible.

4. CCA Georgia supports activities by both private and governmental agencies which are directed at developing, making accessible, maintaining and deploying environmentally safe fish-attracting structures---both inshore and offshore.

5.  Finally, CCA Georgia fully supports all educational programs which promote the conservation of marine resources.  

What is the Origin of the Georgia CCA?

CCA Georgia is a part of a much larger national organization called the Coastal Conservation Association with more that 60,000 members. This non-profit Georgia Corporation was started in early 1986 with the same overall objective as national CCA.  The Coastal Conservation Association is comprised of four geographically distinct units: The Gulf Coast (formerly GCCA) – made up of State and Local Chapters located on or who fish in the Gulf of Mexico – Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi; Florida (formerly FCA); The Atlantic coast states (formerly ACCA) – made up of Georgia, North and South Carolina and Virginia;  and The New England Coast States (formerly NECCA) – which includes Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Maine.

CCA originated in Texas. This group has its beginnings in 1977, after fisherman had experienced several years of substantial declines in the fish populations along the Texas Gulf Coast.

CCA has had a tremendous impact on fishery resources in the Gulf of Mexico. They have succeeded in having both Spot-tail Bass and Spotted Sea Trout classified as game Fish which effectively removes them from commercial markets. They have passed new State Laws concerning net restrictions and limits and have built the largest Redfish hatchery in the world, which produces 10 to 20 million Redfish fingerlings every year.

Given the success of CCA Texas, other State chapters were quickly created, both along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, to effectively address both State and Regional marine resource issues.  Fourteen State chapters now exist, effectively providing a voice which can be clearly heard at both the state and Federal level concerning our marine resources. Currently CCA has over 70,000 members, with a goal of 100,000 by the year 2000. On January 1, 1996, each state changed its name to CCA “State” to indicate a more cohesive national organization.

Of all the states which have joined CCA, Georgia is probably in the most enviable position.  While our fisheries are not perfect and we do have some problems with some species, overall, our inshore and offshore fisheries have not been severely overexploited by either commercial or recreational fisherman. However, it is exactly the fairly good condition of our marine resources which has us so concerned.  Recent modifications of the bag and size limit on spot-tail bass and trout are already showing improvement in those fisheries. BUT

As commercial fisherman and illegal netters find it increasingly difficult to operate in the states which border coastal Georgia, we become a more attractive target for these activities.  We have seen this most recently with the invasion of castnetters from seven states and the gill-net fishermen from Florida.  Also, the relatively good shape of our fisheries allows recreational over-harvesting.  Therefore, to prevent a repetition of the very unfortunate series of events which have plagued other coastal states, we believe we must be working not to ensure that our coastal marine resources are both protected and preserved.

This then is our charter. Our task is more difficult because in many cases we are addressing issues that have not yet become full-fledged problems.  However, we are committed to the course because we believe it is far easier to address a problem in its early stages before it takes years and much money to solve.  

How do I join?

Use our online form or send an application to the state office: CCA-GA 515 Denmark Street Suite 300 Statesboro GA 30458. There are several levels of individual and corporate memberships.

How is the CCA organized?

Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) is the parent organization of CCA Georgia. They are now 15 states CCA organizations. CCA was organized in March, 1977 in Houston, Texas. It is registered as a Texas Corporation and is a 501 (C)3 nonprofit, charitable corporation. CCA Georgia is a state chapter under the CCA umbrella.

The stated purpose of CCA, and its state and local chapters, is to advise and educate the public on the conservation of marine animal and plant life and other coastal resources, both inshore and offshore. He objective of CCA is to promote, to protect and to enhance present and future availability of coastal resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the public.

CCA Georgia is governed by a state board and an executive committee of that board. The executive committee is responsible for establishing local chapters, addressing issues affecting coastal resources on Georgia and administering all the affairs are CCA Georgia. Except for joint operating expenses paid to the national office, all money raised by CCA Georgia stays in the state to be used to accomplish our objectives.

Where does my membership money go?

Membership fees from each state are paid to CCA and our national expenses are covered by those membership dollars. CCA provides each state with the following services: Tide magazine, Rising Tide newsletter, membership database services and other membership recruitment services, artwork and a national lobbyist and accounting assistance. This reduces state office staffing requirements by two do for people.

The CCA budget committee establishes an annual budget. Expense shares are allocated to each state according to the state’s number of members at December 31 of each year. If membership increases in the state during the following year dollars in excess of the budgeted allocated shares are returned to the spate at year-end. A copy of the performa budget is available.

In summary, the states pay for a national operation whose purpose is to serve the states.

Where does the Banquet or Funraising money go?

All banquet funds stay in the state to support the state office and state projects. That is the primary source of funds for state operations. It became clear early on the only way for CCA Georgia to perform effectively was to hire professional staff. Past efforts at a statewide organization failed because of lack of staff. Thus, a primary purpose of the chapters is to raise money to maintain the professional staff to carry out the programs directions of the state Board of Directors. So the more chapters we have and with better banquets, the more funds we have to fight for fishery conservation.

The chapters exist to support the state organization, because it is only through united effort that we can achieve our conservation goals.

Why have fund-raisers?  Cant membership dollars pay for the cost of the organization?

No. There is no successful nonprofit conservation organization that exist solely on membership dollars. It would be almost impossible to supply magazines and newsletters to the membership with volunteer hail own just membership dollars. Any other projects or staff must come from fun rising activities.

What has the CCA Georgia Done?

1. Gained the respect of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources by playing a key role in successfully establishing creel, size, and season limits for seventeen species of salt-water sport fish.

2. Worked to pass legislation which:

• Eliminated reef-destroying roller rigs used  to harvest bottom dwelling species such as grouper and snapper.
• Strengthened bait shrimping regulations to help control illegal inshore trawling operations.
• Established a maximum size limit for red drum to afford protection to spawning fish.

 3. Helped a $26,000 fundraiser to successfully organize and fund the creation of the “CCA” reef consisting of 23 sections of the Talmadge Bridge.  The balance of the funding was provided by the Georgia DNR, which allocated $15,000 from the Sport Fish Restoration Fund.

4. Promotes what is now one of the hottest new formats for fishing tournaments – “catch and release” and are actively involved in several fish tagging research programs.

5. After funding cuts eliminated the DNR Weightmaster Program for tournaments, we created our own Weightmaster program, which helps promote both CCA Georgia and conservation at Georgia saltwater fishing tournaments.

6. Provided $3,800 in funding to the Savannah Artificial Reef Project

7. Continues to conduct an annual tournament for young anglers to teach conservation to our next generation.

8. Acts as catalyst and conscience for both DNR and State Judiciary to try individuals alleged to be illegally spearing amberjack for commercial sale and for other fisheries violations.

9. Fought to prevent opening Georgia’s sounds to shrimp trawling without a prior environmental impact assessment and an impact management plan being in place during openings.  Our stand resulted in the development of a research program by the Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, which is expected to do much, much more than simply assess the impacts of trawling. The 1.8 million dollar project, extending into the year 2000, will gather information for addressing potential impacts on our marine resources from most imaginable encroachments, including pollutants, oil spills, development and fishing pressure.

10. Stayed involved in local conservation and fisheries management efforts including DNR Advisory Panels for saltwater licensing, bait and food shrimping, DNR Coastal Management Advisory Commission, Sea Grant Coastal Perspectives Committee, National Marine Fisheries Council Advisory Panels and Committees.

11. Develop program for 2 experimental/research reefs offshore Georgia.

12. Develop program for nearshore-beach reef system off Georgia to give inshore anglers access to "offshore" fishing.

13. Develop program to increase inshore fishing reefs to allow greater access to inshore fishermen.

14. Spearhead the Adopt-a-Stream program for our salt water estuaries so as to protect the quality of our water and marine habitat.

15. Develop and establish an ongoing reef and habitat monitoring program by volunteer divers in conjunction with an expanded tagging program to help us better understand our marine habitat and the marine ecosystem.

16. Helped to secure upcoming legislation banning long-lining for tuna and billfish from the North Carolina-South Carolina line to Key West.  

What's on the agenda?

1. Development of new State chapters (Macon, Brunswick, etc.) and increasing membership numbers so we may accurately and effectively represent the saltwater sportsman in protecting and improving our marine resources,

2. Maintaining a high profile at all public hearings regarding our marine resources and participating in appropriate State and Federal committees and advisory panels.

3. Pushing for legislative changes to close current enforcement loopholes in our saltwater regulations.

4. Ensuring local judges are aware of pending fisheries violations and tracking their efforts in court for our members.

5. Supporting marine law enforcement by continuing a recognition program for rangers and by CCA Georgia member appearance in court.

6. Working to support wise reconfiguration of State and Federal legislation affecting the saltwater ecosystem.

7. Continuing our Artificial Reef Projects.

8. Enlarging our Young Anglers Program to include handicapped children and a statewide youth educational program.

9. Improving our fish tagging program and integrating those efforts with developing research projects of the various State and Federal agencies.

10. Monitoring the research occurring in Georgia’s sounds and pushing for wise management practices for that vital habitat.

11. Through our newsletters, exhibits, fishing tournaments and clinics – educate our members and the general public to protect and to preserve our marine resources with the goal of ensuring good fishing for future generations.

These FAQ have been prepared by the Coastal Conservation Association of Georgia.