If you want you and your fishing partners to have first hand information regarding CCA’s involvement in issues important to fisheries management, habitat enhancement, and the recreational fishing community look no further than the CCA Newsroom. This unique format allows you not only to research and review CCA’s members and volunteers marine conservation efforts but to actually ask questions to a member of the CCA National Advocacy Team.
Thanks for posting, I have seen alot from CCA and now RFA in the past few days. Can you please elaborate on the differences between the two organizations if there is one? Probably a dumb question but in these days of fishing closures it is important that fisherman stand together just interested in some back ground.
Set the trap boys, we going to pass through them again!!
Scott, based upon your participation on this site it is good to see you are a concerned angler. The first thing I would encourage you to do is visit our website; which you may have already done since you replied from our newsroom post. If not, the scope of our volunteers efforts and accomplishments are easily reviewable there. I think you’ll see that over 30 plus years the members and volunteers of CCA have built a grass-roots organization that is grounded in being a resource first, science based, angler advocate group. Our members are active in every aspect of marine conservation; from restoration and enhancement of habitat to fisheries legislation to funding for scientific studies and programs.
As far as determining any differences there may be between one group and another is your decision to make. You should feel free to contact either the state or national office anytime you have questions.
RFA is a 501(c)(4) political action non-profit organization. Donations to RFA are not tax-deductible, and RFA can lobby directly on issues. RFA’s IRS status is most common for public promotion organizations.
CCA is a 501(c)(3) charitible non-profit organization. Donations to CCA are tax-deductible, and CCA can only lobby indirectly or in a limited manner. CCA’s IRS status is most common for fundraising organizations.
CCA is capable of things that RFA is not, and vice versa, simply because of corporate structure and IRS rules perhaps. CCA’s mission puts coastal resources first. RFA’s mission puts marine sportfishing and sportfishing industry first. Consequently, these differences as well as IRS limitations on political and fundraising activity will ultimately dictate different approaches and positions on issues at times while there may be no differences in approaches or positions at other times.
The two organizations can accomplish a lot of good things when they work together, and picking one over the other may not be necessary. Many of our new RFA-SC chapter’s board members are also CCA members, and many RFA-SC members are also CCA SC members.
RFA was the first national grassroots political action organization established to represent the rights of recreational fishermen and the recreational fishing industry as a whole on marine fisheries issues. It is our mission to safeguard the rights of saltwater anglers, protect marine, boat and tackle industry jobs, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation’s saltwater fisheries.
The Recreational Fishing Alliance (RFA) is a national, 501(c)(4) non-profit grassroots political action organization that has been representing individual sport fishermen and the sport fishing industry since 1996. RFA members include individual anglers, boat builders, fishing tackle manufacturers, party and charter boat businesses, bait and tackle retailers, marinas, and many other businesses in fishing communities. The South Carolina Chapter of RFA wa
CCA has done a lot of good stuff here locally. RFA has done a lot of good stuff nationally. The offshore fish are managed by Federal Govt., so in some ways the RFA is going to be more influential with them. In contrast, CCA is going to be more influential with our state DNR and government. RFA has just started a state chapter, though. We don’t have a state staff like CCA or anything, but I’m hoping we’ll be able to work with CCA staff here in SC on a lot of things on a local level and CCA staff can work with national RFA a little at the same time on some things too. No reason not to work together. I’m more active with RFA right now because that’s the organization that does not have a strong presense in SC yet, and I think that is needed very badly. CCA seems to be doing just fine in SC. Like I said, they have a state staff, and the guy is a hard worker and has always taken time to talk to me about stuff I was concerned about. We disagree on some things, but I understand exactly where he and the CCA are coming from on stuff. Asking the CCA to do what only RFA is capable of isn’t too fair, and asking the RFA to do what only the CCA is capable of isn’t too fair either.
Sorry this has gotten long, but I wanted to share that with anyone asking about the differences in the two orgs. Just my opinion.
Here’s Tred Barta’s too, btw.>>>
Facts talk with a loud and clear voice – All conservation groups that deal with salt water are more good than bad – and although many have their strengths and weakness I belong to each one of them – However the fact remains that the RFA does more, accomplishes more to protect our rights as saltwater anglers than all of them put together – ALL OF US MUST BE A MEMBER OF THE RFA!
The more you learn about the RFA. The more you will give. I’m not asking your opinion – I’m telling you the way it is! My name is Tred Barta, a proud life member, contributor and 100% supporter of the RFA – Join Today, Give Today, For Yourself and Our Children!
