# Ban CCA



## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

I stopped by FKO to speak with Sandy Moret about this on Easter. Sandy shared with me that he was the founding President of the Everglades Protection Association formed in April 1978.

His group later merged with the Gulf Coast Anglers Association from Texas to create the CCA. He said the officers of the CCA were "sugared up" just like the politicians over the years.

CCA is starting to put out emails about the IRL fish kill of which I received one yesterday BUT it appears they are not endorsing the "Send the Water South" solution that Florida Bay needs to survive.

CCA will not be getting any more money from me.


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## Blue Zone (Oct 22, 2011)

snookdlb said:


> Please do not or stop all financial support of the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida (CCA). Their goals are no longer ours. This group is almost completely silent as Florida waters worsen daily to levels never seen before. If not now when will this group act with it’s resources we have supported for years ?



That’s a pretty broad stroke; can you let me know what CCA has done to piss you off? Between the IRL, Lake O and the Glades they are in the midst of addressing serious current issues. If you feel that CCA has not met the challenge, it would be good to know specifics.

I am not sure there is fundamentally a better, more specific vehicle to represent the rights of both anglers and boaters as most members on MS are. 

IGFA is quite focused on the pelagic fishery worldwide. BTT is a fine organization, but again not fully focused on all aspects of the shallow water sportsmen community. Then there are the strange bedfellows of the environmental groups who are indeed involved, but at the end of the day they would prefer us all to be fishing from paddleboards and kayaks if at all.

So if not CCA, what is the alternative that has the infrastructure and the base to project our voice and to protect our rights?



MariettaMike said:


> I stopped by FKO to speak with Sandy Moret about this on Easter. Sandy shared with me that he was the founding President of the Everglades Protection Association formed in April 1978.
> 
> His group later merged with the Gulf Coast Anglers Association from Texas to create the CCA. He said the officers of the CCA were "sugared up" just like the politicians over the years.
> 
> ...


Could be wrong, but I am pretty sure CCA was and continues to be in favor of sending the water South.

It would be good if someone from CCA would come on here to provide an update.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

I personally don't believe they are ignoring any of the issues. The problem is they have multiple issues in multiple areas happening at the same time and limited people who are stretched thin with responsibility. I'm as impatient as anyone and want to see a fix asap, but I'm not sure they know what to do at this point. I agree with blue zone on this one.


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## snookdlb (Aug 28, 2010)

These issue have been a long time coming, They just had a press release regarding my area about an hour ago, Hopefully not to rebut my similar Florida sportsman post. The statement of the facts are not an action however. 
Please let me know are they acting on any of these Florida issues. I’m not a bad guy just speaking up for a fishing area with a smaller population, little attention and a major problem.


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## jonrconner (May 20, 2015)

Here's a post I saw on Blanton's site, I think it's a pretty interesting and informed perspective.
JC 

Michael, I agree that it is a disaster. This said, the sugar industry is not the only one to be blamed. You likely have seen my TED talk and my recent story on NBC2 about the other sources of nutrients going into the Caloosahatchee and likely the St Lucie too. 

These are easy culprits but we have ramifications way back in time. First the embargo to Cuba and the development of sugar cane south of Lake O. In itself, it is an ecological disaster as 1000s of acres were transformed into agriculture. The good peat oxidized and created land subsidence in the region. The River of Grass got cut off too and the water no longer flows freely from Lake O. to Florida Bay. The sugar industry also pollutes the land with fertilizers and pesticides. Recently, some of the sugar cane got replaced by SOD farms which pollute maybe more than sugar cane. That bad water is flowing to canals then to stormwater treatment areas where it is treated before to be released in the Water Conservation Areas which were once Everglades. This also has repercussion to the Fragile Everglades system as the timing of the water (e.g. the hydroperiod) got messed up. Tree islands changed from tear dropped in shape to round because of the lack of flow. All of the wetlands that got removed or got impeded used to clean the water coming from Lake O. This lake has been historically and prior to human settlements a nutrient rich lakes (coring sediment shows this). The wetlands south of it used to filter (wetlands= kidneys) that water and adequate deliveries of clean freshwater was made to Florida Bay. 

To revolve back to the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) south of Lake O, the water there mostly flow south via the aforementioned canals. If you open a Google Earth map, you can see the EAA south of Lake O and the Calooshatchee and the St Lucie canal both above it. 

As you can see, the flow pattern got altered. Lake O does not flow south anymore but east and west. Therefore, the freshwater delivery (timing and especially quantity) is all wrong. These point source deliveries are not normal. 

Now, tied with this unusual flow of water are the amount of nutrients that come to Lake O. If you look at the map again, it is not coming from the EAA much. The wetlands surrounding the Kissimmee River are gone and the meanders also. This means that the nutrients that make their way to the Kissimmee are not filtered well and they go straight to the lake which renders it more nutrients rich than before. 

I am not for the sugar cane industry at all. It is a non sense to me. Same for the SOD farms, non sense to me and especially not sustainable for Florida (more in the TED talk and the NBC2 story). 

So, who is to blame. All of us. The way we vote for people who make decisions for us. It is also our everyday life that all of us conduct every single day. The truth is we are going to hit a dead end as population continues to rise. We can however preemptively do the right actions. 

1- eat responsively
Most farmers can provide us with the best food. As long as we demand cheap food, you will get cheap food farmed in a non sustainable manner. The size of the average american home has increased between 2-3 folds since the last 2-3 generations. That means more energy use but especially a higher mortgage. This leads to more work, and less money to dedicate to food. The truth is that good nutrient food should be more expensive (although one can argue that vertical gardening could be the future). 
More importantly: EAT LESS MEAT. 
We once were gatherer hunters (and not vice versa), meaning that people who still lead this lifestyle mostly are gatherer and not hunters. I believe that there is enough scientific evidence that demonstrate that meat is not good for you. But anyhow, if you like eating meat please read further. 
There is an ecological concept that states that 10-15% of the energy is passed to the higher trophic level. In more layman terms, and assuming a 10% ecological efficiency, this means that to produce 1 g of human, you need 10 g of cow (if this is what you grow) and 100g of grass (if your cow is lucky enough to eat that). Thus, we need a lot of animals to feed us and these animals need a lot of food too (luckily, we do not eat much carnivores- besides some fishes actually). If we eat less meat, we use less resources which allow us to preserve more natural land. This natural land does not require pesticides or fertilizers. Further, the animals that we have in less quantity drink less water and their manure pollute less our rivers as well. Some of these animals (cattle for example) release less green house gases (methane in particular, release less antibiotics in the wild and we use less machinery to grow the crops they eat (less CO2 emission). So, we kill several birds with one stone if we eat less meat. 
The equation is rather simple, but most will unlikely change their eating habits. Not sure why. The truth is you can grow a very healthy body without all the animal proteins (not saying you need none, I believe in omnivory on a personal level, but I know a lot of vegans who are carried perfect pregnancies and who are healthy). 

2- For these Floridians
Stay away from monospecific SODs. Most people who move here like their lawn (or worst play golf). The grass had to be engineered for Florida. It is non native and needs lots of maintenance (mowing and nutrients). As all ruderals, turf needs constant disturbance (mowing) but zero stress (drought and lack of nutrients). The problem is that in Florida, the vegetation and the algae are adapted to low level of nutrients. So a little of it has incommensurate effects on the ecosystem. Here is the dilemma about the BMPs (best management practices) in Florida. Residential (commercial have other rules and can water and fertilize more freely) need to not fertilize during the rainy season but can fertilize during the dry season. On the other end, turf is DORMANT during the dry dry season and it grows actively during the rainy season. So, if you fertilize during the dry season, the turf does not take it much (the soil accumulates it), and then during the rainy season, the runoff carries the nutrients away especially if we have a good flush at the beginning of the rainy season. It does not make sense. Turf does not make sense in Florida. The other non sense is the use of reclaimed water. Reclaimed water used to be released in the river for example. Now, it is been fed to the residential ponds, or to the turf especially during the winter when the load of nutrients in the waste water is higher (people wintering in Florida). The turf needs the water, but not the nutrients during the dry season but reclaim water is a one fit all package (it comes with water and nutrients and the two cannot be separated). Another non sense. When fed to the ponds, the reclaimed water turn them green, people use algaecides to kill the algae, and the water is full of nutrients and algaecides: all of this goes to the coasts. 

So, this year, we have a bad El Nino. People fertilized their lawns and agriculture field. We have also more people in the area than usual. Unusually, we also had much more water that generated lots of runnoff. This runoff eventually reached the Coasts creating algae (micro or macroalgae) which, once they decay via bacterial digestion suck up all the dissolved oxygen and fishes die. Fishes will be decomposed, suck up more oxygen via decomposition, nutrients are released and we get into more algae blooms. The infernal cycle goes again and again and again and it can be self sustained if there is little flush (e.g. the Indian Lagoon) and if we have lost the seagrasses. 

In my neck of the woods, we have no idea of what the massive loads of nutrients brought to the Caloosahatchee estuary will bring us. These are tons of nitrogen and phosphorus coming from Lake O. and the watershed surrounding the river. It does not seem that we have lost the seagrasses yet (I went out on Tuesday and they seemed fine photosynthetically, growth speaking and not many epiphytes). So, I hope they will be OK. As the hot days approach though, I fear algae (I opt for macro algae) that will blooms and decay and maybe more red tides as usual. Time will tell, but I am concerned. Luckily, the Gulf of Mexico flushes better than the Indian Lagoon region. 

As for myself, I have tremendously limited my meat intake. I compost the household manure, am building an earth dome and will grown my own food on my land. Not all of us can do this switch (although you do no need much land to do all of the aforementioned). I hope there will be more followers. I do not make much, but I hope the education I provide to my students and my research outreach program will help the future generations. You can donate to BTT and other charities (and some actually use the money for best management practices of the watershed) but the best investment is to not spare on good sustainable food and limit your ecological footprint. All of us will benefit from this. 

Thanks for reading. 
Serge


Follow ups:


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## fishicaltherapist (Mar 9, 2013)

An intelligent, thoughtful,and appreciated summary. Big $$$$ know this BUT, $$$$$ is what matters to them. I wonder, on another note......have even ONE of the politicians thought of what may happen to tourism $$$$$,tax $$$$. If all the dead/decaying fish were to be placed in the Fl. State legislature building......no one there would even tell the difference of what is smells like now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please pardon my vent & God bless !


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Here's what I received from CCA FL recently:

"An Important Message to All CCA Florida Members:

We know many of you are frustrated and angry over the current state of some key estuary systems in South Florida. We realize how important these waters are to the Everglades complex, to our marine environment, and to our fisheries. CCA has been engaged on these issues for some years now. After record rainfall during this year’s dry season, it is easy to conclude nothing is being done and no solutions appear to be in sight. Our river systems are being stressed beyond imagination and, most important, our fishing is lousy, especially in the St. Lucie and Caloosahatchee rivers, in the southern reaches of the Indian River Lagoon, and in Pine Island Sound. 

CCA has employed a strategic approach to these problems. These endeavors will not yield measureable progress with any immediacy, especially given the complexity of our water management problems. Still, we strive. It is virtually impossible to re-engineer over a century of infrastructure projects which were driven by the conventional wisdom of the day. The Herbert Hoover Dike is here to stay, Alligator Alley and Tamiami Trail are immovable, modern-day thoroughfares, and the natural Lake Hicpochee headwaters of the Caloosahatchee River are a thing of the past. 

CCA has directed its attention to workable long-term solutions which we believe have a good chance of contributing to a broader set of solutions. Much of this work has been behind the scenes, including meeting and discussing these very issues with state elected officials, state regulators, and reputable scientists. This dialogue continues, and we constantly emphasize the economic importance of Florida’s boating and fishing businesses. Both are key components of the state’s tourism, and both rely on clean water resources and a healthy marine environment. 

Other efforts have involved our support of several Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) projects. We will be increasingly studying various CERP projects and will be following up with all members with information on which ones hold the most promise, and which ones we might support. Like other groups, we find the Central Everglades Planning Project (CEPP) to be a particularly interesting idea, and continue to study its merits. 

CCA favored Amendment One as a contemporary funding device for Everglades restoration projects. We also have publicly discussed our support for the appropriate use of Amendment One funds for their original purpose, and monitored the state budget process daily during this year’s legislative session to help insure appropriate Everglades restoration funding is still in place for several fiscal years.

CCA supports current efforts involving septic tank eradication in the Keys, and is particularly interested in similar projects in other Florida counties and municipalities, provided scientific studies conclude septic leaching is playing a material role in the degradation of our waters. Reasonable people can disagree with these efforts, but we believe septic systems could play a significant role in the deterioration of our water quality, especially in hyper sensitive locations such as the Keys.

More recently, we were pleased to see Governor Scott declare a State of Emergency for Lee, Martin, and St. Lucie counties which we hope will result in some near-term federal funding sources for various water projects. Although we are frustrated with some of the finger-pointing among some of our political leaders, we believe it would be irrational to oppose any efforts which might provide even some short-term relief.

We have expanded our staff recently and hired a scientist with experience in water quality issues. Having our own specialist will help CCA’s overall efforts with many of these problems in South Florida. We continue to fund installation of worthwhile habitat projects like oyster and seagrass restoration when supported by appropriate science. 

There is no one single, magical solution to the water quality problems Florida is currently experiencing. Several large-scale projects could very well contribute to a broader solution. We pledge to lead Florida’s recreational anglers to help this massive effort. Let’s band together and choose to be a part of a proud and collective solution, for our home, and for the fish.

Thank you for your continued support of CCA Florida’s mission, and your efforts with the on-going fight to protect Florida’s marine environment.

Please keep your eye out in the immediate future for a CCA call to action on important budget items which were finalized by the Florida Legislature this past Friday."


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## "RockyG" (Aug 3, 2014)

snookdlb said:


> Please do not or stop all financial support of the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida (CCA). Their goals are no longer ours. This group is almost completely silent as Florida waters worsen daily to levels never seen before. If not now when will this group act with it’s resources we have supported for years ?


The winner of the most short sighted head up your hind end post I have ever read on this forum. 

Kill CCA......they are the source of all our problems. Jeez.


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## ol' superskiff (Oct 22, 2015)

"RockyG" said:


> The winner of the most short sighted head up your hind end post I have ever read on this forum.
> 
> Kill CCA......they are the source of all our problems. Jeez.


Unless I missed it, no mention of big sugar in the above CCA release. The takeaway for me is big sugar is not to blame for any of this. Because if they were, I'm sure CCA would be all over it, right?


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## pt448 (Mar 22, 2014)

That's typical CCA. They do a lot of good work, but they are not going to ruffle any feathers with politicians or big business (oil, gas, sugar). Those businesses pay them a heck of a lot more than our $30 a year and they play nice with all the politicians they lobby and schmooze. They do a lot to be a big voice for preservation of fisheries habitat and anglers rights, but there are limits to what they are willing to do that might sacrifice their business and political relationships (which they deem vital to the organization). They won't ever play hardball. Take it good,bad, or indifferent. I support them for what they are, but don't expect things I know they won't do.


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## el9surf (Dec 23, 2008)

pt448 said:


> That's typical CCA. They do a lot of good work, but they are not going to ruffle any feathers with politicians or big business (oil, gas, sugar). Those businesses pay them a heck of a lot more than our $30 a year and they play nice with all the politicians they lobby and schmooze. They do a lot to be a big voice for preservation of fisheries habitat and anglers rights, but there are limits to what they are willing to do that might sacrifice their business and political relationships (which they deem vital to the organization). They won't ever play hardball. Take it good,bad, or indifferent. I support them for what they are, but don't expect things I know they won't do.


To your point I think they have a balancing act to maintain. Going in with a scorched earth approach might work once, but I think they stand to accomplish more by maintaining those relationships over the long run. I think the individual tax payers can play that game easier because we aren't the face of an organization, we are just 1 of millions that are upset.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

CCA isn't perfect; no organization of that size can be. However, I feel that it is still the best voice for the recreational angler and CCA will continue to receive my support. I would add that we can't simply rely on CCA to solve our problems. Write your lawmakers, write corporations. Be a PITA. There was a time when it was said that the net ban couldn't be achieved. Besides, CCA gives out cool stickers.


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## CDL (May 14, 2015)

"RockyG" said:


> The winner of the most short sighted head up your hind end post I have ever read on this forum.
> 
> Kill CCA......they are the source of all our problems. Jeez.


Nice sportsman like attitude there dude !!!


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## "RockyG" (Aug 3, 2014)

Not sure if you are agreeing with me or not there CDL. Just to clarify that "source of our problems" comment was sarcasm on my part. I became involved in FCA way back at the dawn of time, served on the board, went to committee meetings in Tallahassee, fished with ole Ted F. a hundred times. 

So yes......I support CCA as the best available voice of the recreational angler. Always have.


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

The world will not be destroyed by wrong-doers. It will be destroyed by those who sit and watch.


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## Flat Mad (Feb 12, 2017)

snookdlb said:


> Please do not or stop all financial support of the Coastal Conservation Association of Florida (CCA). Their goals are no longer ours. This group is almost completely silent as Florida waters worsen daily to levels never seen before. If not now when will this group act with it’s resources we have supported for years ?


I have emailed CCA about this exact thing if they really are a conservation group.way don't they get involved. What i got back was ,we are involved we are attending alot of MEETINGS. Big deal actions speak louder than words. Wake up CCA get involved.....


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

I can tell you right now the STAR Tournament held here in Texas is the single worst thing a conservation association could hold. Why would you have a 3 month long tournament that DOES NOT allow live weigh in and targets trout over 8 pounds? What would you guys do if Florida held something like this?


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## byates (Jan 12, 2016)

Support all the groups you want, but until politicians who care about these issues as much as you do are elected (local, state, fed), we'll have the water quality they think we deserve.


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## Flat Mad (Feb 12, 2017)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I can tell you right now the STAR Tournament held here in Texas is the single worst thing a conservation association could hold. Why would you have a 3 month long tournament that DOES NOT allow live weigh in and targets trout over 8 pounds? What would you guys do if Florida held something like this?


CCA has the same thing in Florida but with reds.Trying to increase membership,with big prizes did not draw me in


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

James Lawsoncapt said:


> CCA has the same thing in Florida but with reds.Trying to increase membership,with big prizes did not draw me in


Here it's inshore and offshore with youth divisions as well. I'm not concerned with redfish because they are tagged slot reds but the big trout division kills me. The minimum weight is 8 pounds and every day some idiot kills a trout that won't even qualify. If you keep a trout alive and weigh it in it is against the rules to release it. That's not conservation!


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## commtrd (Aug 1, 2015)

I have nothing further to do with CCA. Likely bought and paid for just like everyone else in gov top to bottom.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Here it's inshore and offshore with youth divisions as well. I'm not concerned with redfish because they are tagged slot reds but the big trout division kills me. The minimum weight is 8 pounds and every day some idiot kills a trout that won't even qualify. If you keep a trout alive and weigh it in it is against the rules to release it. That's not conservation!


Not sure about the rules there, but STAR in Florida is photo only and allows for the release of the fish.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

SomaliPirate said:


> Not sure about the rules there, but STAR in Florida is photo only and allows for the release of the fish.


Not an option here, it's ridiculous.


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## Flat Mad (Feb 12, 2017)

SomaliPirate said:


> Not sure about the rules there, but STAR in Florida is photo only and allows for the release of the fish.


In Fla. It's the tag that states the prize.


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## SomaliPirate (Feb 5, 2016)

Flat Mad said:


> In Fla. It's the tag that states the prize.


On tagged redfish you are allowed to photograph the fish and tag on the measuring device, clip and save the tag and release the fish.


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

Stop the federal subsidizing of "Big Surgar" and the profit disappears for the politicians and sugar.


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