HOUSTON, TX - In the May 2005 issue of Field & Stream, writer John Merwin selects 50 legends of fishing, choosing among writers, showmen, teachers, conservationists, innovators, and tycoons. Under the section dedicated to The Conservationists, CCA National Chairman Walter Fondren heads the list for his part in the creation of the Gulf Coast Conservation Association in 1976 and in guiding its evolution into the national Coastal Conservation Association.

"I am proud to be included with such a prestigious group of anglers, but even more than that, I am glad that the creativity, commitment and perseverance of the tens of thousands of CCA members and volunteers have been recognized," Fondren said. "You don't accomplish what CCA has been able to achieve over the past 30 years by working alone. It has been my privilege to work with some of the most dedicated and hard-working people you will ever meet. This kind of recognition validates the work they have done, and will continue to do."

In crafting the list, Merwin explains that to become a legend, you must have had an impact on the sport. The list spans centuries and includes luminaries such as Izaak Walton, Mary Orvis Marbury, Zane Grey, Ernest Hemingway, Lefty Kreh and John Morris. People on the list "didn't necessarily catch the most fish or the largest fish, but their contributions changed fishing forever," Merwin writes.

With Fondren as national chairman CCA has been involved in many impressive conservation victories, including the banning of gill nets in several states, establishing game fish status for species in the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, implementing bycatch-reduction guidelines for the shrimp industry, and passing a 1994 constitutional amendment in Florida banning the use of any type of entangling net in state waters.

With more than 90,000 members in more than 180 local chapters in 15 states spanning the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic seaboard, the impact of CCA's grassroots machine is unparalleled. Determined to "change fishing forever," CCA has focused on restoring coastal marine resources and bringing them back to healthy levels.

"It is gratifying to see a respected publication like Field and Stream recognize Walter Fondren. He was the right man at the right time," said Alex Jernigan, CCA vice chairman. "Many recreational anglers all over the country knew there were problems that had to be addressed. He was not only able to identify the problem; he had the ability to create the solution. CCA has been the solution for marine resources."