CCA North Carolina Names Stephen Ammons as its New Executive Director  

November 15, 2007
RALEIGH - Stephen Ammons of Zebulon has been named
executive director of the Coastal Conservation Association of
North Carolina, the state’s largest marine conservation
organization.

CCA North Carolina President Bill Mandulak of Raleigh
announced that Ammons would begin working with CCA North
Carolina on November 15th.  He has worked extensively over the
last decade across the state, as a highly successful sales
professional serving large financial and health provider facilities.

As head of CCA North Carolina, Ammons will oversee the organization’s conservation programs, legislative initiatives, coordinate developmental activities with the state’s 15 chapters and 3,800+ members and volunteers, and oversee CCA’s staff at its Raleigh headquarters.

"We at the Coastal Conservation Association of North Carolina are delighted to have a man of Stephen Ammons' caliber join our team as our new Executive Director.â€ÂÂ� Said Mandulak, who serves as the organization’s highest volunteer officer.  “Stephen brings enthusiasm, experience and leadership skills to our organization. Stephen is the kind of person who will continue to strengthen CCA NC over the next several years. All of us at CCA NC look forward to working with Stephen."

As a native of North Carolina, Ammons understands the enormous conservation issues surrounding our marine resources. “This organization is a vital component to all areas of conservation efforts and with the continued support of volunteers and a growing membership, the CCA will be heard all over the state. I am proud to be part of this effort and will do my very best to uphold the standards that were set by my predecessors.â€ÂÂ� Ammons said.  “It is a great pleasure to join CCA North Carolina as the Executive Director.â€ÂÂ�

A special committee consisting of CCA North Carolina’s Executive Board, along with Judy Shaw of CCA National coordinated the search for the new executive director.
The stated purpose of the Coastal Conservation Association North Carolina is to advise and educate the public on conservation of marine resources.  The objective of CCA is to conserve, promote and enhance the present and future availability of these coastal resources for the benefit and enjoyment of the general public.
Contact CCA NC at www.ccanc.org.

2007 CCA NC Inside & Out Results 

What a weekend!!  Many thanks to all who participated this past weekend at our 3^rd Annual Inside & Out Tournament!!!  The forecast held out and you could not have asked for a better weekend on the coast…“Chamber of Commerceâ€ÂÂ� weekend at the beach, as they would say!! 

The festivities began on Friday night at Tournament Headquarters, Morehead Marine, for the Crystal Coast Chapter Banquet and Tournament Captain’s Party.  Smithfield’s Chicken and Barbeque provided all the food participants could eat and Atlantic Distributors in New Bern donated all of the adult beverages from Budweiser!  The banquet was a great success and many thanks go out to all that came down and took part.

By 9:00PM on Friday we had close to 40 boats signed up and ready to hit the water on Saturday.  Lines in at 7:30 AM on Saturday had anglers stretched from offshore at the Big Rock down to the Swansboro Hole to inshore from the Haystacks down to Swansboro…if there were fish around, there was a boat catching them!  First fish weighed in was from Team Juggerknot, and it set the pace for what would be an exciting afternoon at the official tournament weigh station, Town Creek Marina in Beaufort…a monster doormat flounder tipping the scales at just over 7 pounds!! 

After the dust settled, tournament participants headed back to Morehead Marine for steamed oysters (which didn’t last long!) and a Lowcountry Boil with Atlantic Beverage again providing all of the beverages!  Many thanks to the unofficial/official tournament cooking team of Bud Abbott and Mike Kalet…please thank them the next time you see them! 

At the end of the day the following results took center stage after a great day of fishing:

2007 CCA NC Inside & Out Results 

Inside 

Division                                  Team                                      Weight            Prize              

Pro

Red Fish Live Weigh-In         Chasin Tails Outdoors                        8 lbs.                $1,000

Primary

Red Fish Release                    Fishin4Life                              80.625â€ÂÂ�           $500

Trout                                       Specktacular                            4.65 lbs.           $500

Flounder                                  Juggerknot                              7.1 lbs              $500

Inside Division Champion

Fishin4Life – 84.225 points - $1,000

Out

Division                                  Team                                      Weight            Prize

King Mackerel                                    Bonella Time                           20.5 lbs.           $500

Wahoo                                     Smooth Operator IV               29.8 lbs.           $500

Dolphin                                   Builders Choice                      2.95 lbs.           $500

Tuna                                        Builders Choice                      2.9 lbs.             $500

Congratulations to all of this year’s winners! 

RED DRUM ADVISORY COMMITTEE SETS DATE FOR GILL NET DISCUSSION

MOREHEAD CITY – A Red Drum Advisory Committee to the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission will discuss bycatch in gill nets when it meets Oct. 2 in Washington. The meeting is open to the public and will begin at 5:30 p.m. in the Washington Regional Office of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 943 Washington Square Mall, Washington.
 
A public comment period will be held at the beginning of the meeting.
 
The committee is assisting the commission with updating a Red Drum Fishery Management Plan, originally adopted in March 2001. The committee plans to vote on preferred recommendations regarding bycatch in gill nets at this meeting.  Recommended changes to the plan will go through an additional public comment period before the commission votes on them next year.
CCA NC strongly opposes the use of gill nets in nursery areas.  In addition CCA NC favors mandatory attendance for all small mesh gill nets.  These measures will greatly impact the recovery of Red Drum by ensuring increases in both juvenile recruitment and spawning stock biomass.

PLEASE MAKE PLANS TO ATTEND!!!  YOUR INPUT IS CRUCIAL TO THE FUTURE OF RED DRUM IN OUR COASTAL WATERS!

CCA North Carolina Destructive Gear Position
CCA North Carolina (CCA NC) is a non-profit grassroots conservation organization dedicated to the proper management and conservation of North Carolina’s coastal marine resources.  CCA NC wants to see the marine fishery resource restored, maintained and enhanced for all users.  CCA NC opposes the use of destructive fishing gear that is wasteful, non-selective, and detrimental to the marine fishery resource and habitat.

CCA NC will continue to work within the regulatory and legislative process to advocate for the conservation of North Carolina’s valuable marine resources.