Coastal Conservation Association North Carolina names TowBoatUS Capt. Lee Sykes Volunteer of the Year

At its recent annual meeting, the State Board of Directors for the Coastal Conservation Association North Carolina (CCA NC) named local on-water towing Captain and TowBoatUS Beaufort owner Lee Sykes “Volunteer of the Year.”

An advocate for coastal fisheries and owner of a local 24-hour on water recreational boat towing and assistance company, Sykes is the CCA NC president of the Crystal Coast chapter and is credited with “revitalizing this chapter and bringing it back as a significant contributor to our efforts in North Carolina,” said chapter member and CCA NC board member Bert Owens. The chapter is one of 13 in North Carolina. “He was determined that the Crystal Coast chapter would remain a vibrant voice for coastal fisheries conservation in North Carolina.”

“I’m honored to have been selected,” said Sykes. “I’m out on our waters nearly every day and believe that everyone needs to do their part. I’ve always wanted to ensure that my own child will continue to have a vibrant fishery for her generation, and our coastal waters continue to provide a quality fishing experience that doesn’t diminish.”

Part of a nationwide network of 300 locations and over 600 towboats, Sykes’s TowBoatUS business is North Carolina’s largest, providing 24-hour on water towing assistance and soft ungrounding services to recreational boaters, much like a reliable auto club. It also offers salvage services. In addition to Beaufort, Sykes’ additional TowBoatUS locations include Swansboro, Jordon Lake, Falls Lake, Sharon Harris Lake, Gaston Lake, Kerr Lake, Smith Mountain Lake VA, and most recently High Rock Lake. For more visit BoatUS.com/beaufort.

CCA and its state-chapter network are engaged in hundreds of local, state and national programs and projects related to marine conservation, including initiating scientific studies, funding marine science scholarships, building artificial reefs, creating finfish hatcheries, initiating hydrologic and contaminant studies, monitoring the quality and quantity of freshwater inflows, supporting local marine law enforcement and more. For more visit www.ccanc.org.