The California Chapter of Coastal Conservation Association (CCA California) has announced that Wayne Kotow will serve as executive director of the new CCA state chapter. Kotow brings an extensive background in business and fundraising experience to CCA California, which was launched earlier this year with widespread support and enthusiasm from the sportfishing community.
“We are very excited to have someone with Wayne’s skill set onboard to focus on building our organization at this critical point in our chapter’s development,” said Bill Shedd, chairman of CCA California and president of AFTCO. Shedd and his family have been involved in marine resource conservation and enhancement efforts for more than 50 years. “The CCA California board of directors is very focused on building a membership base and defining the developmental path for local chapters to begin advancing the future of recreational fishing in our state. We believe Wayne has the tools to guide the chapter to long-term growth and success.”
Kotow, a resident of San Diego and recently with Fisherman’s Wholesale, has a life-long passion for angling and conservation, and has worked with all facets of the fishing industry, from manufacturers to retail as well as the sport fishing fleet. He has also been on the board of directors of the Make-A-Wish Tuna Challenge for 11 years and has volunteered tirelessly to promote angling and conservation at other charity events, including the Poway Kids Fishing Derby, Crystal Pier Kids Fishing Derby, and Wounded Warriors events.
“I truly love all kinds of fishing, and my experiences have led me to realize that what means the most to me now is conserving and sharing the unique opportunities we have right here in California,” said Kotow. “We must be responsible stewards of these wonderful resources and ensure that we and future generations are able to access and enjoy them. That is what CCA is all about.”
CCA California officially launched in March 2015 at the Fred Hall Show in Long Beach and quickly got to work on its core goals of enhancing fish habitat and populations of inshore fish with an announcement to partner with the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute to expand hatchery programs that will hopefully include yellowtail and halibut. The chapter is committed to building an organization capable of steady improvements for marine resources and recreational angling.
“We have big goals for CCA California and it will all depend on a strong grassroots network of anglers from all regions of California,” said Dave Pfeiffer, President/CEO of Shimano American Corporation and CCA California vice chair. “In our search for our first executive director, we had a very specific picture of who we needed to achieve our vision. Wayne fits that bill, and we look forward to working with him in building an effective organization committed to fulfilling the mission of CCA.”
