CCA strives to ensure healthy, well-managed coastal marine resources and anglers’ access to them.

Through a vast grassroots network of coastal state chapters and more than 220 local chapters, CCA seeks to educate and advocate for proper management of coastal marine resources. CCA works at every level of the US fisheries management system (state, regional and federal) to ensure that there is sound science and economic analysis for fisheries managers and thoughtful state, regional and federal policies to guide the management of coastal resources. CCA also seeks funding through partnerships to create and restore marine habitat, including oyster reefs, marsh restoration and nearshore reefing.

Through our vast local chapter network and more than 125,000 individual members, CCA’s volunteers and staff organize, advocate and educate with the vision of conserving and restoring coastal marine resources. CCA hires expert fisheries management strategists, economists, attorneys, scientists and conservation advocates to address the complex challenges facing our shared coastal resources on all three US coasts.

We measure our success through a continuing assessment of the health of key, recreationally significant species, the health and abundance of the habitat that supports them, the effectiveness of state, regional or federal managers on those resources and anglers’ access to resources that are healthy.

CCA has been the leader in obtaining gamefish status for a number of important recreational species, successfully worked to ban destructive commercial fishing gear including gill nets and long lines in numerous areas, helped fund science centers and scientific studies, created millions of dollars in marine habitat, funded hatcheries, provided law enforcement with equipment to enforce important game laws, funded marine science scholarships and internships, created youth fishing initiatives, created outreach on best practices for proper catch-and-release techniques, advocated for pro-resource legislation on state and federal levels, and litigated to ensure proper management of important ocean resources. CCA will continue these efforts and seek to expand the voice and influence of marine resource conservation and habitat enhancement to a growing coastal population through membership recruitment, chapter development and education.