Fighting for the Future: CCA-CAL Access

California’s coastline is more than just a postcard backdrop — it’s a thriving ecosystem, a vital resource, and for many, a way of life. But behind the beauty lies a constant battle to preserve marine habitats, protect fish populations, and ensure recreational anglers retain access to the waters they love. Leading that charge in the Golden State is the Coastal Conservation Association of California, better known as CCA-CAL. Formed in 2015, CCA-CAL was created when recreational anglers and outdoor enthusiasts came together with a common goal: to protect California’s marine resources while safeguarding the public’s ability to enjoy them. The group is part of a national conservation movement that traces its roots to the Gulf of Mexico, where overfishing once devastated redfish and trout populations along the Texas coast. “The organization was born out of necessity,” said CCA-CAL leadership. “Anglers saw the damage being done by commercial overfishing and recognized that without organized action, their fisheries — and their freedoms — could disappear.” That action began in 1977 with the creation of the Gulf Coast Conservation Association. It wasn’t long before recreational anglers successfully lobbied to outlaw gill nets along the Texas coast and secured game fish status for red drum and speckled...