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CCA Alabama volunteers jumped into action. The West Mobile Chapter was first to act. With one of their annu- al membership events happening later in the week after the storms hit, atten- tion turned to how they could help. Canned foods and donations of all kinds started flowing in. Volunteer efforts from CCAmembers all over the state have been unbelievable. Tripp Harper, of the CCA Montgomery Chapter, led a team of individuals from his First United Methodist church to Tuscaloosa to cook, and they estimate they fed more than 5,000 people. Property damage estimates are


more than $4 billion in the region, but the real damage is the personal loss of the hundreds of lives from this horrific storm. It would have been much worse without the immediate response of our local emergency services and law enforcement personnel. We are forever in debt to all the thousands of volun- teers, relief organizations, churches, and emergency workers that are help- ing the folks in North Alabama recover and rebuild. Thanks to all for your thoughts and prayers during this time.


CCA Alabama hires new executive director


Coastal Conservation Association Alabama has announced that Travis Taylor will serve as the state chapter’s new Executive Director effective immediately. As a former National Tournament Manager with B.A.S.S. /ESPN Productions, Taylor brings con- siderable experience in marketing, sales and event management to CCA Alabama. “We have no doubt that Travis has all the tools to grow the state chapter and create an effective organization for the conservation of the state’s marine resources,” said Bill Arant, CCA Ala- bama President. “Most


importantly,


though, he is a passionate angler and is committed to the conservation of our state’s marine resources. With his back- ground and experience, we feel very fortunate to have Travis with CCA Alabama.” Taylor received his undergraduate


degree from Auburn University in 1994, and served in the U.S. Army for almost a decade after graduating. His career also includes several years as a professional healthcare representative for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. “Travis will focus on membership


recruitment, banquet fundraising and communications,” said Palmer Whiting,


TIDE


CCA Alabama Management Com- mittee Chairman. “Our goal is for this chapter to be a vibrant and effective grassroots organization committed to fulfilling the mission of CCA. We are going to make a positive difference for the fish, and have some fun while we’re at it.” CCA Alabama is the state’s leading saltwater fisheries conservation organ- ization. Recent activities include build- ing a 3,000-ton inshore reef just north of Ono Island, closing shallow grass beds in Mobile Bay to shrimp trawling and reducing the number of active com- mercial gill netters in the state to less than 50 through an innovative buy- back program.


In accepting the position, Taylor said his own outdoor experiences have convinced him that it is critical for CCA to be a strong organization at both the state and national levels to advance conservation goals. “There is much work to be done to


protect and conserve for the future,” Taylor said. “Helping others to appre- ciate our coastal environment as CCA does is paramount for ensuring a healthy future for our resources. We are going to build on our tradition of con- servation and I invite all recreational anglers to get on board with CCA Alabama.”


FLORIDA


Proposed red drum rules For the past 25 years the volunteers


of CCA Florida have put forth a lot of effort into securing a healthy future for red drum. The chapter fought hard to prevent the commercial sale of redfish and played a major part in the Net Ban Amendment in 1994. With that history in mind, we have a great deal of con- cern that the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) proposed a rule late in 2010 to create four management areas for Florida and increase the bag limit in the northern areas to two fish per person and increase the boat limit to eight. CCA Florida has been strongly opposed to these proposed regulations because the science does not seem to support the increase in take. In Febru- ary 2011, the FWC voted to move ahead with this draft rule despite the opposition of conservationists and a large public outcry at the public hear- ings. The final rule was to be voted on earlier this year. However, CCAFlorida successfully urged the Commission to


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have the rule deferred until the 2011 stock assessment was finished. “The FWC’s own science shows that


increasing the bag limit to two per per- son could harm this high-quality fish- ery,” says Ted Forsgren CCA Florida executive director. “The escapement rate was trending down while the effort is trending up.” “We greatly appreciate the FWC for its vote on the redfish rule and decid- ing to wait a few more months to get the most current information before making a final decision,” stated Jeff Miller,


CCA Government Relations


Committee chairman. “We will contin- ue to work with FWC staff and the Commissioners on the redfish rule.”


Pathfinder partnership


CCA Florida is proud to announce that Pathfinder Boats will continue their long time partnership with CCA as the Official Bay Boat of CCAFlorida. The last boat that Pathfinder donat- ed to CCA Florida was raffled off in March at Pathfinder Boats’ hometown banquet, the Treasure Coast event. Scott Deal, owner of Pathfinder Boats, pulled the winning ticket and Capt. Rick Murphy called the lucky winner to tell them the good news. “We have a special relationship with Pathfinder and their parent company Maverick Boat Company. They were the first boat manufacturer to step up and support CCA Florida in the early days and they have been behind us ever since,” said CCA Florida COO Brian Gorski. “We can’t wait to see what kind of an exciting prize package we can put together this year!” Pathfinder was scheduled to unveil the new CCA Florida raffle boat at the upcoming Inter Chapter Challenge Tournament in June. For more infor- mation, visit CCAFlorida.org.


GEORGIA Chapter events run the gamut


The Richmond Hill Chapter held a membership event in cooperation with the Fort McAllister Marina based


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