About Our Association
The Charter Boat Captain's Association was formed in the early 1970's when a small group of captains realized the need to be heard in numbers. Of course in the 70's, we did not have the rules and laws that are now required for the operation of a charter fishing vessel, so the main purpose of the founding association was to encourage and promote tourism and fellowship of local captains and their crews.
Later, in the early 1990's the U.S. Coast Guard began intense involvement with the charter industry and many new rules and programs were started to protect the charter captains, their vessels and their passengers. These many rules and programs became part of the everyday life of a charter boat operator. Many of these requirements cost the operators considerable money that they were not accustomed to paying and effected the way they conducted business. Because of these changes the Association became more involved with Federal, State and Local government to protect their operations and help with their concerns on national policy, legislative and regulatory issues. Today the Association is not only involved with the tourism industry on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and surrounding area, we now actively lobby in Washington and voice our concerns and desires on fishery issues with the Gulf Council of the National Marine Fisheries Council. What once started as a handful of concerned fishing captains has now grown to an organized membership of over 120.