Coastal Conservation Association Texas
CCA Texas is a 501(c)(3) marine conservation non-profit founded in 1977 that mobilizes tens of thousands of recreational saltwater anglers across Texas through local chapters to conserve Gulf Coast fisheries, restore oyster and marsh habitat, and run the STAR Tournament.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1977
- HeadquartersHouston, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Coastal Conservation Association Texas does
Coastal Conservation Association Texas (CCA Texas) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit marine conservation organization founded in 1977 in Houston, Texas, with a current staff of approximately 17 employees and tens of thousands of recreational angler members organized through local chapters statewide. The organization's mission is to conserve Texas Gulf Coast marine resources — particularly redfish, speckled trout, flounder, and oyster habitat — and to preserve recreational angler access in the face of historical commercial overfishing. CCA Texas operates a three-tiered advocacy model affecting issues at the local, state, and national levels, supported by two registered lobbyists in Austin and expert counsel in Washington D.C.
CCA Texas delivers its mission through a portfolio of member-facing programs: the annual and Life Membership program (including TIDE bimonthly magazine and CURRENTS newsletter), the STAR Tournament (State of Texas Anglers Rodeo) spanning the Texas Gulf Coast with over $2 million in prizes and more than $8.7 million in youth scholarships awarded since 1995, and the Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow (HTFT) habitat restoration program covering oyster reef, marsh, and nearshore reefing projects. Funding flows from memberships, banquet fundraising, tournament entry fees, merchandise sales, Texas license plate royalties ($22 per plate), and major donor contributions; in 2025 alone the State Board approved $4.4 million for conservation initiatives, and in February 2026 approved an additional $1.367 million. The organization partners closely with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department on enforcement, hatcheries, and the world's largest saltwater redfish/seatrout/flounder hatchery system that has released nearly 1 billion fingerlings.
Revenue mechanics are diversified across recurring membership subscriptions, event-driven STAR Tournament and chapter banquet income, donations and major foundation gifts, and merchandise/license plate royalties. CCA Texas's go-to-market is community-led grassroots engagement via its statewide chapter network — from the Rio Grande Valley through the Golden Triangle and inland Texas — supplemented by content marketing (TIDE, CURRENTS, Coastal Advocacy Adventures podcast), social media, and digital self-serve membership onboarding through membership.joincca.org. Notable regulatory wins include retirement of 158 commercial oyster licenses (nearly 30% of the fishery) through two rounds of the S. Reed Morian Oyster Buyback Program.
Coastal Conservation Association Texas firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Coastal Conservation Association Texas
- Legal name
- Coastal Conservation Association
- Website
- https://ccatexas.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1977
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- CCA Texas is a 501(c)(3) marine conservation non-profit founded in 1977 that mobilizes tens of thousands of recreational saltwater anglers across Texas through local chapters to conserve Gulf Coast fisheries, restore oyster and marsh habitat, and run the STAR Tournament.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Coastal Conservation Association Texas industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Marine Conservation Services
- NAICS
- Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)
Keywords
Where Coastal Conservation Association Texas is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Houston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Coastal Conservation Association Texas business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Contributions: Annual membership fees that fund publication and distribution of TIDE bimonthly magazine, membership department, annual audit, federal lobbyist support, and state-level conservation projects. Members receive paper member card, decals, and subscriptions to TIDE Magazine and CURRENTS Newsletter.
- Donations and Fundraising: Donations made through the website and at local fundraising events stay in the local community. Includes memorial and tribute giving, workplace giving with matching gifts, gift memberships, and estate planning through bequests, charitable gift annuities, stock donations, and real estate donations.
- STAR Tournament: The State of Texas Anglers Rodeo (STAR) Tournament spans the entire Texas Gulf Coast, offering current CCA Texas members the chance to win more than $2,000,000 in prizes and scholarships including boats, trucks, and UTVs. Tournament participation generates revenue through entry fees.
- Merchandise Sales: Sales of CCA Texas merchandise including hats, fishing and performance shirts, decals, coolers, and license plates through JoinCCAStore.com and MyPlates.com. For each CCA Texas license plate sold, CCA Texas receives $22.
- Banquet Fundraising: Local chapters hold annual fundraising banquets as primary grassroots fundraising events. Chapters sell tables and tickets to members and supporters for fundraising events.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Membership |
| Subscription | One time/ perpetual license | Life Membership |
| Other | Annual | STAR Tournament Entry |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Coastal Conservation Association Texas product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CCA Texas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit marine conservation organization that operates through a grassroots membership model of recreational saltwater anglers. It funds and executes habitat restoration projects (oyster reefs, marshes, nearshore reefing), conducts regulatory advocacy via lobbyists in Austin and Washington D.C., runs the annual STAR Tournament offering over $2 million in prizes and scholarships, and delivers member benefits including TIDE Magazine and the CURRENTS Newsletter through a statewide network of local chapters.
Product overview
CCA Texas operates as a nonprofit marine conservation organization offering a membership-based program portfolio centered on coastal resource conservation and recreational angler advocacy. The core offerings include the Membership Program (with TIDE Magazine and CURRENTS Newsletter subscriptions), the STAR Tournament (State of Texas Anglers Rodeo) offering over $2 million in prizes and $300,000+ in scholarships, and the Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow (HTFT) program for habitat restoration. Supporting services include a Fishing Guides Directory, Legal Defense Fund, Online Store, License Plates, and a network of 60+ local chapters statewide. The organization also runs advocacy campaigns including Rescue Our Reefs and provides comprehensive resources on Texas oyster fishery issues. Funding programs support enforcement, education, research, and hatcheries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- STAR Tournament: State of Texas Angler's Rodeo (STAR) Tournament - spans the entire Texas Gulf Coast offering current CCA Texas members the chance to win more than $2,000,000 in prizes and scholarships including boats, trucks, and UTVs.
- Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow (HTFT)
- TIDE Magazine
- CURRENTS Newsletter
- Rescue Our Reefs
- Our Texas Oyster Fishery
- 2021 Winter Freeze
- Building Conservation Trust
Products and services
- CCA Texas Membership Program
- STAR Tournament (State of Texas Anglers Rodeo)
- Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow (HTFT)
- Fishing Guides Directory
- Rescue Our Reefs Campaign
- Legal Defense Fund (LDF)
- https://ccatexas.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/CCA-Texas-New-Store-Hats-Website-Graphic-2025-2.png
- https://ccatexas.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/CCATX_LicensePlate_10x24_v2-scaled.jpg
- Oyster Restoration Projects
- Coastal Conservation Funding Programs
Quantifiable outcome
- 158 commercial oyster licenses retired through buyback program, representing nearly 30% reduction
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Coastal Conservation Association Texas
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Coastal Conservation Association Texas technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Coastal Conservation Association Texas partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)coreCCA Texas works closely with TPWD on enforcement funding, research, hatchery support, and regulatory matters. The partnership includes co-funding game warden internships, coastal enforcement support totaling over $348,000, and collaborative conservation initiatives including the S. Reed Morian Oyster Buyback Program.
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF)corePartnership with TPWD on the S. Reed Morian Oyster Buyback Program, which has removed nearly 30% of commercial oyster licenses through collaborative public-private funding.
- Tito's Handmade VodkamajorPartnered with CCA Texas to add additional reef beds in the Goose Island State Park Big Tree Unit Living Shoreline project in St. Charles Bay.
- Harte Research InstitutecorePartner on the Sink Your Shucks oyster shell recycling program and leads the Nurdle Patrol citizen-science project. Expanding the Sink Your Shucks program with $50,000 per year for three years.
- Matagorda Bay FoundationmajorPartnership on Carancahua Reef restoration project near Port Alto, with planning phase underway for $1 million restoration project.
- FlatsWorthymajorCommitted to ensuring public oyster reefs are valued and conserved. Partnership on oyster conservation advocacy and Mesquite Bay reef protection efforts.
Scale indicators15 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Coastal Conservation Association Texas competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Coastal Conservation Association (National): The national umbrella organization coordinating 17 coastal state chapters. CCA Texas operates as one of these state chapters, sharing identical mission, programmatic structure (STAR Tournament equivalents, habitat programs, membership dues), and brand identity, making this the closest direct peer.
- Bonefish & Tarpon Trust: A saltwater angler-led marine conservation nonprofit focused on bonefish, tarpon, and permit fisheries. Directly comparable mission (recreational angler advocacy, habitat science, policy work) and similar membership-plus-grant revenue model, though Florida/Caribbean-centric rather than Gulf-Texas.
- Trout Unlimited: National cold-water angler conservation nonprofit with chapter-based membership model and habitat restoration focus. Highly comparable structure: grassroots chapter network, member magazine, local banquets, state-level advocacy, and habitat projects, but freshwater-focused.
Broad incumbents
- Ducks Unlimited: One of the largest U.S. conservation nonprofits with a similar membership/chapter model and habitat restoration focus. While waterfowl-focused rather than marine, it represents the gold-standard peer for evaluating CCA Texas's grassroots banquet, magazine, and chapter-spawned fundraising engine at scale.
- The Nature Conservancy (Texas): Major environmental nonprofit operating a Texas chapter focused on coastal prairie, bays, and habitat protection. Comparable in marine-coastal mission but with a broader conservation portfolio and substantially larger budget and endowment.
- National Wildlife Federation: One of the largest U.S. conservation nonprofits with broad wildlife and habitat mission. Comparable in size-class and nonprofit advocacy model, with overlapping engagement in coastal fisheries policy at the federal level.
Regional players
- Gulf of Mexico Foundation: Regional marine conservation nonprofit serving the Texas-Louisiana-Mexico Gulf coast. Direct overlap in oyster reef restoration, freshwater inflow advocacy, and Gulf ecosystem health priorities, complementing CCA Texas's Texas-only geographic focus.
- CCA Louisiana (sister state chapter): Sister state chapter of CCA covering Louisiana's recreational saltwater anglers with parallel STAR Tournament, habitat restoration, and advocacy programs. Same operating model and brand, but operates in a different state with distinct fishery issues and regulatory environment.
Others
- Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation: The private foundation supporting Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Direct funding partner on oyster buyback, hatcheries, and enforcement, with overlapping mission focus on marine resource conservation in Texas. Not a direct competitor but a closely collaborating parallel fund.
Emerging players
- REEF Environmental Education Foundation: Marine citizen-science nonprofit running volunteer fish-survey programs (REEF's Volunteer Fish Survey Project is the largest in the world) similar in scale and angler-scientist convergence to CCA Texas's fingerling release and tagging programs. Smaller organization with overlapping Gulf/diver-angler community.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Coastal Conservation Association Texas social profiles
Digital presenceCoastal Conservation Association Texas financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Coastal Conservation Association Texas leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles16 records
Coastal Conservation Association Texas funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Coastal Conservation Association Texas M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Coastal Conservation Association Texas
What does Coastal Conservation Association Texas do?
CCA Texas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit marine conservation organization that operates through a grassroots membership model of recreational saltwater anglers. It funds and executes habitat restoration projects (oyster reefs, marshes, nearshore reefing), conducts regulatory advocacy via lobbyists in Austin and Washington D.C., runs the annual STAR Tournament offering over $2 million in prizes and scholarships, and delivers member benefits including TIDE Magazine and the CURRENTS Newsletter through a statewide network of local chapters.
Is Coastal Conservation Association Texas a public or private company?
Coastal Conservation Association Texas is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Coastal Conservation Association Texas founded?
Coastal Conservation Association Texas was founded in 1977.
Where is Coastal Conservation Association Texas based?
Coastal Conservation Association Texas is headquartered in Houston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Coastal Conservation Association Texas make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Membership Contributions are the primary driver. The others are donations and Fundraising, STAR Tournament, merchandise Sales and banquet Fundraising.
Who are Coastal Conservation Association Texas's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Coastal Conservation Association (National), Bonefish & Tarpon Trust and Trout Unlimited. Broad incumbents are Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy (Texas) and National Wildlife Federation. Regional players are Gulf of Mexico Foundation and CCA Louisiana (sister state chapter). Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation is listed as an others. REEF Environmental Education Foundation is listed as an emerging player.
Does Coastal Conservation Association Texas have an API?
No public API is recorded for Coastal Conservation Association Texas.
What industry is Coastal Conservation Association Texas in?
Coastal Conservation Association Texas's product category is Marine Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAGAE, Marine & Freshwater Conservation, with a secondary code of BPAIAMAI, Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines). Its NAICS code is 813312 and its SIC code is 8600.