Coastal Conservation Association (CCA)

What's in Store for 2006?

By Ted Venker
TIDE
Jan/Feb 2006

It is often said that a New Year's resolution goes in one year and out the other, but there is no denying that the arrival of a fresh 12 months is always exciting and full of possibility.

The New Year is a natural time to make commitments about doing better in the coming year than we did in the past. For example, billions of diets and exercise programs have been launched in the first minutes of January, often inspired by multiple glasses of bubbly. Some of those promises have succeeded, at least temporarily, as the gyms and fitness clubs pack ‘em in daily…until about March.

For most of us, the secret to keeping a resolution is setting the resolution effectively in the first place. Vowing to achieve world peace is perhaps setting the bar a bit too high while pledging to wake up every day before noon isn’t really stretching the limits of your abilities.

In between is something called a realistic resolution, one that is attainable with hard work and discipline. For a group like CCA, there are plenty of realistic goals to shoot for in the Gulf of Mexico and all along the Atlantic coast. These goals require that all four points of the CCA model are firing – membership, advocacy, fundraising and communication.

The following is a sample of some of the things your CCA will be focusing on in 2006:

“CCA Virginia wants to make 2006 the year of the menhaden. 2006 is the year the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission cap on the harvest of menhaden takes effect in the Chesapeake Bay, and that is just the first step. We will again support legislation to move all regulations on menhaden out of state code and into the capable hands of the Virginia Marine Resource Commission. These steps continue our conservation efforts to improve the overall health of our treasured Chesapeake Bay.”

- David Hickman
Executive Director CCA Virginia

"CCA Louisiana resolves that the disasters of 2005 will not be allowed to deter the chapter in 2006. Plans call for us to host our inaugural state convention as well as our 12th annual STAR tournament as the state recovers steadily from Katrina and Rita. If the last few events of 2005 were any indication, a very full schedule of banquets and fundraisers set for all areas of the state in 2006 will be phenomenally successful. Perhaps most importantly, CCA Louisiana resolves not to get hit by any more hurricanes."

- Jeff Angers
Executive Director CCA Louisiana

“In 2006, CCA's Gulf of Mexico Fisheries Conservation Program will work to get the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council to significantly reduce shrimp bycatch (bykill) of juvenile red snapper and initiate a reallocation of Gulf reef fish resources based on a look to the future, not the overfished past.”

- Dr. Russell Nelson
CCA Gulf Fisheries Consultant

“We intend to widen the scope of our influence in the Alabama during 2006. We do a good job of informing our members, but we need to do a better job of educating our state and federal legislators and other centers of influence around the state. Alabama is on the verge of becoming a truly outstanding destination for recreational fishermen, and I'm not sure our elected officials really understand just how important our recreational fishery is. Our job in 2006 is to be better communicators of the message.”

- Ed Williamson
Executive Director CCA Alabama

"CCA Maryland resolves to educate the public, Maryland legislators, and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on the importance of our recreational fisheries and to change the DNR's management philosophy to better serve the resource and recreational anglers. To that end we will work for no-sale status of yellow perch to assist in their restoration, pursue measures to allow recreational anglers to obtain their striped bass quota, and work to achieve a comprehensive strategic fishery management plan for the restoration of our native oysters."

- Sherman Baynard
CCA Maryland

These are just a few of the things your CCA will be working on in the coming year. They may not sound as glamorous as working for world peace or as personally appealing as losing a few pounds, but they are worthy goals for any angler. With the help of 90,000 committed members, it is much more certain that these goals will be achieved by your CCA in 2006.