Mission Statement:
Dedicated to the protection and restoration of marine life for the enjoyment of all.
CCA Accomplishments
- CCA Maine is a part of the nation’s largest marine conservation association with more than 90,000 members through 15 state chapters.
- CCA is recognized by fisheries managers as instrumental in the recovery of redfish, striped bass, king mackerel, Spanish mackerel, speckled trout, grouperand swordfish.
- CCA eliminated commercial striped bass fishing in the EEZ through the Striped Bass Act reauthorization in 1998.
- CCA has helped establish gamefish status for billfish and redfish, net bans in four states and the prohibition of many destructive commercial geartypes.
- CCA Maine successfully worked to ban gill nets and purse seines in the Presumpscot River.
- CCA sued NMFS in federal court to reduce excessive billfish, shark and turtle bycatch in Atlantic and Gulf longline operations.
- CCA Maine reduced the number of commercial licenses sold to elver fishermen by 70 percent, shorted eel season by three weeks, and removed 3,000 harmful nets from Maine waters.
- CCA has a registered lobbyist in Washington D.C. and has been active in federal fisheries issues since 1984.
- CCA Maine helped obtain gamefish status for shad.
- CCA Maine helped secure $2.5 million from Bath Iron Works to remove Edwards Dam on the Kennebec River.
- CCA has an annual audit and tax return prepared by a nationally recognized public accounting firm.
- CCA has a full time, expert consultant for all fisheries management issues and who provides representation for CCA at every Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission meeting.
- CCA has a legal defense fund that has been used to defend net bans and bycatch reduction devices, support pro-fisheries legislation, and enforce existing fisheries regulations.