Coastal Conservation Association

About This Partnership

Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) is a decades-long partner of TPWF that works to advise and educate the public on the conservation of marine resources.

Thanks to a multi-year effort led by TPWF, TPWD, CCA’s Building Conservation Trust, CCA Texas, and Shell Oil Company, two artificial reefs were installed in Gulf of Mexico near Port O’Connor. The two adjacent reefs were completed in 2017 and consist of 700 concrete pyramids placed several miles offshore in waters 66-70 feet deep. The structures are located within a 381-acre reef site, the second largest site ever permitted in Texas waters. Artificial reefs not only enhance fishery resources, but also fishing and diving opportunities off the Texas Coast.

CCA also stepped in after Hurricane Harvey devastated the Texas Gulf in 2017. Many of TPWD’s Coastal Fisheries Division facilities sustained damage, including the Rockport Marine Laboratory, the Dickinson Marine Laboratory, the Corpus Christi Marine Development Center Hatchery, the Perry R. Bass Marine Fisheries Research Station in Palacios, plus several vital research vessels. Support from CCA amplified efforts to repair, rebuild, and restore the infrastructure needed to conserve the rich biological diversity inherent in Texas’ marine waters along the Gulf Coast.

For the past eight years, CCA has helped inspire and prepare the next generation of conservation law enforcement professionals by funding annual summer game warden internships. Interns funded by CCA are strategically stationed throughout coastal areas of Texas to champion marine conservation and education. The internships also offer unparalleled insight into the real-world risks and rewards of pursuing a conservation law enforcement career. CCA’s support of this program has granted life-changing experiences for young adults interested in careers dedicated to protecting Texas’ natural resources.