cca texas

What cca texas does

CCA Texas (legally the Coastal Conservation Association, Texas chapter) is a Houston-headquartered 501(c)(3) non-profit marine conservation organization founded in 1977 in response to commercial overfishing of redfish and speckled trout along the Texas Gulf Coast. It operates as the Texas state chapter of the national Coastal Conservation Association, a three-tiered structure (local chapters, state, national) with 50+ local chapters spanning the Rio Grande Valley to the Golden Triangle and inland chapters across Texas, including a dedicated Houston office at 6919 Portwest Dr. The organization is funded by annual membership dues and Life Memberships, donations, corporate sponsorships, merchandise sales through JoinCCAStore.com and CCA Texas license plates via MyPlates.com, and event revenue including the major annual STAR Tournament (State of Texas Angler's Rodeo) which offers over $2 million in prizes and scholarships.

Its core programs include habitat restoration through the Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow (HTFT) initiative, the S. Reed Morian Oyster Buyback Program (which retired 158 commercial oyster licenses in 2025-2026 with CCA's $1 million anchor funding), fisheries advocacy via two full-time Austin lobbyists and Washington D.C. counsel, the nationally acclaimed TIDE Magazine, the CURRENTS newsletter, the Coastal Advocacy Adventures podcast, and the STAR Tournament youth scholarship program which has awarded over $8.7 million since 1995. The organization serves tens of thousands of recreational saltwater anglers, youth and families, marine science students (via five fully-endowed university scholarships), and Texas coastal ecosystems. Recent operational highlights include $4.4 million in conservation funding approved in March 2025, $1.367 million approved in February 2026, multiple staff additions in 2025, and active regulatory advocacy on industrial permitting and the Synergen ammonia plant opposition.

Leadership is led by Executive Director Robby Byers (in role since 2006) under Chairman John Carlson, with a staff of approximately 15-18 including Advocacy Director Shane Bonnot, Director of Habitat John Blaha, and multiple Assistant Directors covering chapter development, banquets, and the STAR Tournament.

Name

cca 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 Houston-based 501(c)(3) marine conservation non-profit founded in 1977 that serves tens of thousands of recreational saltwater anglers through 50+ local chapters, funding habitat restoration, fisheries advocacy, and youth scholarships including the $2M+ STAR Tournament.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

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 industries

Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH), Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)

Keywords

• Marine conservation
• Habitat restoration
• Recreational fishing
• Fisheries advocacy
• Coastal stewardship

Headquarters

HQ city

Houston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership subscriptions providing member benefits including TIDE magazine, CURRENTS newsletter, member card, and decals. Life memberships also available with additional benefits.
2. Donations: One-time and recurring donations made through the website or by check. Donations stay in local communities. Memorial and tribute giving programs available. Workplace giving and matching gift programs supported.
3. Merchandise Sales: Sale of CCA Texas branded merchandise including hats, shirts, decals, coolers, and other gear through JoinCCAStore.com. License plates featuring CCA branding available through MyPlates.com ($22 per plate goes to CCA).
4. Event Revenue: Local chapter banquets sell tables and tickets. The STAR Tournament offers prizes and scholarships exceeding $2,000,000 including boats, trucks, and UTVs.
5. Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors support various programs and events. Sponsors include companies like Academy Sports + Outdoors, Tito's Handmade Vodka, YETI, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

CCA Texas is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit marine conservation organization that delivers habitat restoration, fisheries advocacy, education, and youth scholarship programs to Texas coastal anglers and conservation supporters. It operates a membership-based organization with annual and lifetime memberships, an annual STAR Tournament offering more than $2 million in prizes and scholarships, and a grassroots chapter network spanning the Texas Gulf Coast. Core funding comes from memberships, donations, fundraising banquets, sponsorships, and merchandise sales, with funds directed toward oyster reef and marsh restoration, marine science scholarships, and fisheries management advocacy.

Product overview

CCA Texas (Coastal Conservation Association) is a non-profit marine conservation organization that operates as a membership-based advocacy and conservation organization rather than a traditional product company. Its core offerings include the STAR Tournament fishing competition (offering $2M+ in prizes), annual and lifetime membership programs with publications (TIDE Magazine and CURRENTS Newsletter), the Habitat Today for Fish Tomorrow habitat restoration program, and a fishing guide directory. Additional offerings include a podcast series, specialty license plates, and an online merchandise store. The organization does not operate as a platform-plus-modules architecture but rather as a collection of conservation programs, membership benefits, and advocacy resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CCA Texas STAR Tournament
• Membership Program (Annual and Life)
• TIDE Magazine

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 30% of Texas commercial oyster licenses removed through buyback program
• +9 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2025Primary government partner in oyster buyback program and fisheries management. TPWD, in partnership with TPWF and CCA Texas, announced the S. Reed Morian Oyster Buyback Program. CCA provided $1 million anchor funding. The program successfully removed 158 commercial oyster licenses in two rounds.
• Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation (TPWF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 August 2025Partner in the S. Reed Morian Oyster Buyback Program. Combined public and private funding through Laurie and S. Reed Morian Foundation ($1 million match), CCA Texas ($1 million anchor), The Brown Foundation, Earl C. Sams Foundation, and other private donors.
• Matagorda Bay FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in $1 million Carancahua Reef restoration project near Port Alto. CCA Texas opposition to Synergen project is strengthened by substantial investment in Carancahua Bay oyster reef habitat through regulatory actions and restoration activities.
• Harte Research Institute (Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLeads the Nurdle Patrol citizen-science project documenting plastic pellet pollution. Partner in Sink Your Shucks oyster shell recycling program expansion ($50,000/year for 3 years). Created educational film 'Rebuilding Reefs: The Oyster Project' with CCA.
• FlatsWorthymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit partner committed to ensuring public oyster reefs are valued and conserved. Collaborates with CCA Texas on oyster fishery advocacy and conservation efforts.
• Tito's Handmade VodkasupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with CCA Texas to add additional five reef beds in the Goose Island State Park Big Tree Unit Living Shoreline project at St. Charles Bay.
• Mossy Oak and AFTCOsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerProduced short film 'Rebuilding Reefs: The Oyster Project' with CCA highlighting importance of oyster reefs. AFTCO President Casey Shedd discussed conservation legacy on CCA podcast.
• Academy Sports + OutdoorssupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRetail partner offering CCA merchandise with more gear available at local stores across Texas.
• MyPlates.comsupportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLicense plate partner selling CCA Texas branded license plates. CCA Texas receives $22 per plate sold.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Coastal Conservation Association (National): The national parent organization of CCA Texas, operating as a federation of 17 coastal state chapters with shared advocacy and brand. Direct peer by mission, structure, and revenue model; CCA Texas is functionally one of its largest state chapters.
• Trout Unlimited: National nonprofit with the same membership-and-chapter model focused on coldwater fish conservation (trout/salmon). Closest direct comparable in operating model, fundraising mechanics, and advocacy infrastructure, but freshwater rather than saltwater.
• Bonefish & Tarpon Trust: Saltwater flats-fishing conservation nonprofit with a similar science-plus-advocacy model. Comparable in mission scope (single-species/species-group marine conservation) and donor base of recreational anglers, though smaller scale than CCA.

Broad incumbents

• Ducks Unlimited: Largest sportsmen's conservation nonprofit in the U.S., focused on wetlands and waterfowl. Comparable in chapter-based fundraising, lobbying capacity, and habitat-restoration scale, but broader and more established.
• The Nature Conservancy (Texas): Major global conservation organization with significant Texas coastal programs. Overlaps in habitat restoration and policy advocacy but is broader in scope and significantly larger in funding capacity.
• National Wildlife Federation: Large national advocacy nonprofit with marine and fisheries policy work that intersects with CCA Texas's mission. Comparable in policy influence and donor base, but much broader in mission.

Regional players

• Matagorda Bay Foundation: Texas Gulf Coast foundation partner on the Carancahua Reef restoration project. Comparable in mission (Texas coastal conservation and oyster reef restoration) but smaller and more geographically focused on Matagorda Bay.
• CCA Louisiana: Sister state chapter of CCA operating across the Louisiana Gulf Coast. Same organizational model, brand, and mission, but in a different geographic jurisdiction with overlapping fisheries and similar threats.

Others

• Harte Research Institute (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi): University-based marine research institute partnering with CCA Texas on Nurdle Patrol, oyster restoration, and citizen science. Not a peer in fundraising/membership model but a key implementation and scientific partner.
• Environment Texas: State-level environmental advocacy organization operating in overlapping advocacy spaces (water quality, plastics/nurdles, coastal permitting). Distinct mission emphasis (general environment vs. recreational-fisheries conservation) but comparable advocacy footprint in Austin.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CCA_Texas
• YouTubeyoutube.com/ccatexasprojects
• Facebookfacebook.com/ccatexas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/coastal-conservation-association-texas
• Instagraminstagram.com/cca_texas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about cca texas