Prevent a ban on lead fishing tackle

[NTW]

The message below is pasted from the Bassmaster website.

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On Aug. 23, 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency was petitioned by the Center for Biological Diversity and four other organizations to ban all lead in fishing tackle under the Toxic Substances Control Act. This includes sinkers, jigs, weighted fly line and components that contain lead, such as brass and ballast, in a wide variety of lures, including spinners, stickbaits and more.

It is important that industry members send comments now! Let your voice be heard!

On Aug. 27, 2010, the EPA denied the petition for ammunition but maintained the petition to ban lead fishing tackle. Supporters of hunting and the shooting sports have been successful in having ammunition excluded from this ban.

The petition was presented with the aim of reducing bird deaths caused by the ingestion of lead sinkers and jigheads; however, a study conducted by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service found that less than 1 percent of all waterfowl and other birds such as eagles are killed by lead sinker ingestion.

The reasons for opposing the ban are:

The data does not support a federal ban on lead sinkers used for fishing. In general, bird populations, including loons and other waterfowl species, are subject to much more substantial threats such as habitat loss through shoreline development. Any lead restrictions need to be based on sound science that supports the appropriate action for a particular water body or species.

Depending on the alternative metal and current prevailing raw material costs, non-lead fishing tackle products can cost from six to 15 times more than lead products. Non-lead products may not be as available and most do not perform as well. Mandatory transitioning to non-lead fishing tackle would require significant changes from both the industry and anglers.

A federal ban of the use of lead in fishing tackle will have a significant negative impact on recreational anglers and fisheries resources but a negligible impact on waterfowl populations.

America's 60 million anglers generate over $45 billion in retail sales with a $125 billion impact on the nation's economy creating employment for over 1 million people.

Industry members are encouraged to support voluntary angler education programs for the use of lead sinkers and should urge state and federal fish and wildlife agencies to do the same.

How you can help

The EPA has opened the petition for public comments. Please take the following four simple steps to oppose this ban.

Officially submit your comments opposing this ban using the EPA's comment page at www.regulations.gov. Comments are due by Sept. 15. You can copy and paste the template message below into the official comment form.

Voice your concerns directly to EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson through ASA's Legislative Action Center. Your letter to EPA Administrator Jackson will also be copied to your two Senators and House member.

In addition, we encourage you to turn the comments below into a letter to fax to Administrator Jackson on your company letterhead. Please include information about your company. Her fax number is: 202-501-1450.

Please fax a copy of the same letter to your Congressional delegation. You can find their fax numbers by clicking here and entering your zip code.

Comments to submit to EPA

As a member of the sportfishing industry, I urge the Environmental Protection Agency to dismiss the petition to ban lead in all fishing tackle.

The sweeping petition has many deficiencies including:

Misinformation on sinker use and loss

The actual impact to wild bird populations

The economic impact of higher cost raw materials and that EPA can only regulate the interstate commerce of lead fishing products under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) and not the use or manufacture.

As stewards of our nation's natural resources, the sportfishing industry continues to seek new developments to minimize our environmental impact. In addition, the sportfishing industry pays some $115 million in federal excise taxes each year for fisheries restoration.

I am concerned that the results sought by the petitioners greatly exaggerate the biological impacts on waterfowl; ignore the significant economic impacts to anglers, the industry and to fisheries management; and underestimate the potential impact of human health hazards when anglers seek to produce their own fishing sinkers.

In short, I find the proposal lacking scientific rigor and common sense, and urge you to reject the petition.

[OnAFly]

I would tend to agree that there are much more substantial threats (shoreline development and habitat loss) to wildlife in general than the threat of lead sinkers.

[H2O Milfoil]

Seems to me there was a recent massive die-off of waterfowl down along the gulf coast. Maybe the government should consider banning leaky oil wells?

[deadeye]

Yeah there is definitely more pressing issues facing waterfowl and shorebirds than lead tackle. There is the occasional lead poisoning but in reality its nil compared to the other stuff.

[CANOPY SAM]

1% of 1 million = 10,000.

1% of 100 million = 100,000.

There are several hundred million migratory birds in the U.S.

That's a lot!!! It's been a concern for a long time.

I don't dispute that there are more pressing issues. I've been deeply concerned about the gulf oil spill since it started. But to dismiss other valid concerns is careless and irresponsible.

I don't believe for one second that our only alternatives are 6-15 times more expensive. Heavens, our ancestors used rocks!

[MinnesnowtaWild]

If there is a substitute for lead sinkers and jigs that is of equivalent cost then I am all for it. Would really be a shame though since I have several pounds worth of lead sinkers...would have to be a pretty large bird to ingest my lost 5 and 6 oz lead sinkers.

[river rat316]

I can see a ban on lead split shot, and very small sinkers, anything bigger than that and its stupid. But of course the feds dont give a [PoorWordUsage] what we say, they will do what they want

[swamptiger]

Quote:

On Aug. 23, 2010, the Environmental Protection Agency was petitioned by the Center for Biological Diversity and four other organizations to ban all lead in fishing tackle under the Toxic Substances Control Act.

Center for Biological Diversity - the spotted owl guys....should be enough information right there to make a decision.

[TruthWalleyes]

I'm not against it, but i do not want to see the Ban come before the Solution....

Find out what material will replace lead, and it's cost, performance, manufacturability etc...before they drop a BAN on lead!

[FishonTom]

As for using rocks, it has been a long time. Lead has been used for over 2,000 years, and there are more birds now than any time in history. (some of us were there) Some people just have to have a cause and need control over others. It could be because their own lives are so out of control.

[Jackpine Rob]

Yeah, the next thing you know these clowns will be picketing the Discovery Channel building, demanding programming condemning lead, and then when they don't get their way it will be time for the guns and bombs.....

[Sonicrunch]

BOOM!! Head shot!!

[jeffreyd]

we should bring back lead based paint too

[Jackpine Rob]

we should bring back lead based paint too

Boy, those paint chips were the best! I take it you munched your share?

[TruthWalleyes]

What do you mean "bring back lead paint"

The u.s. buys ship loads of china productn daily with lead based paint!

[duckster]

It's coming just a question of when....

Duckster

[muddpuppy]

I wonder what they are going to do about all the rust from the steel hooks?? everything will be made of Titanium!!!! bling bling until they find issues with that

[jeffreyd]

everyone still wants to use lead for ammo and tackle even tho the studies show that it impacts waterfowl and scavenger birds and mammals. I am not siding with the group that did the petition, i am going off of what impacts it has had here on the condor. People complain when their kids get products from China or Mexico in their happy meals that have lead content, however we as sportsmen and women do not worry about the long term impacts that it will have on the fishery and habitat.

There is not a question that development impacts the waterways, shores, and fishery/wildlife areas, but we allow it to happen. Everyone has a thought about the BP oil spill but I do not remember seeing a single post on the oil leak that occurred in Michigan around the same time. I guess because it did not impact the price of oil, it is not a concern.

So rather than wanting to get that "trophy" fish, turkey, bear, or deer, why not do it with a non pollutant or toxic tackle or ammo?

I am out of line to wonder this question, when we all want to give the sports to our kids?

[jeffreyd]

Not sure what the personal attack is about?

[Jackpine Rob]

No attack intended Jeffrey. I was making a lame joke about the fact that most of us grew up around lead paint, and appear none the worse for it. My folks had an old house, and Dad was constantly sanding and remodeling and such.

We have all heard about the little crumb-munchers ingesting paint chips - right? Now tell me, did you or your siblings or anyone you were around ever eat paint chips?? I mean, come on.....

When I see some good, verifiable data that shows how terribly my 180 grain 30-06 bullet is impacting the environment, I'm all ears. Until then, all I can seem to hear is "The Sky is Falling!" Must be the lead paint chips.....

[sdpikehntr]

I agree with Jackpine. When I grew up there was leaded gas, lead paint, lead shot for everything and we melted down lead for decoy weights on the kitchen counter. I'm still healty and alive.

Lead is a part of our world and always will be, there will always be lead exposur. I understand that it needs to be regulated to an extent, but to ban it in an industry that has been preached as being "an inexpensive family activity" seems to be the wrong approach.

They need to find an alternative that will equally fit weight and price of lead before they ban it and have no replacements.

Oh by the way I think we need to ban all motorized vehicles! We kill about 1.2% (estimate) of pheasants each year with auto hits. AND the deer / auto accidents are off the chart.

[CANOPY SAM]

Actually Rob, there has been a nationwide program for many, many years that monitors blood lead levels in pre-school, and elementary school aged children. It's a pretty serious problem. And it's more common than you think.

The neurological affects elevated levels of blood lead can cause are irreversible. If you, or your children were suffering due to an inadvertant lead poisoning from lead based paint, you might not think so lightly of the issue. The affects are not pleasant.

The "rocks" statement is just an example. There are lots of eco-friendly alternatives out there.

[swamptiger]

Quote:

Actually Rob, there has been a nationwide program for many, many years that monitors blood lead levels in pre-school, and elementary school aged children. It's a pretty serious problem. And it's more common than you think.

Do you know where I can find those statistics? Just curious to find out if the lead levels dropped after the ban on lead based paint was put on.

[swamptiger]

Couldn't find the stats you are referring to, but did find this information on the CDC website:

Quote:

Blood Lead Levels In The United States

Large numbers of children continue to have blood lead levels high enough to cause adverse effects.

Substantial progress has been made, however, in reducing blood lead levels in the United States.

Lead-based paint remains the major source of high-dose lead poisoning in the United States.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry estimated that in 1984, 17% of all American preschool children had blood lead levels that exceed 15 µg/dL (ATSDR, 1988). Although all children are at risk for lead toxicity, poor and minority children are disproportionately affected. Lead exposure is at once a by-product of poverty and a contributor to the cycle that perpetuates and deepens the state of being poor.

Substantial progress has been made in reducing blood lead levels in U.S. children. Perhaps the most important advance has been the virtual elimination of lead from gasoline. Close correlations have been demonstrated between the decline in the use of leaded gasoline and declines in the blood lead levels of children and adults between 1976 and 1980 (Anastate, 1983)(Figure 2-5 ). Levels of lead in food have also declined significantly, as a result both of the decreased use of lead solder in cans and the decreasing air lead levels.

Lead-based paint remains the major source of high-dose lead poisoning in the United States. Although the Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) limited the lead content of new residential paint starting in 1978, millions of houses still contain old leaded paint. The Department of Housing and Urban Development estimates that about 3.8 million homes with young children living in them have either nonintact lead- based paint or high levels of lead in dust (HUD 1990).

[jeffreyd]

cool, was hoping it was not. My parents house was similar dad was always painting and sanding. I remember him painting eves with this huge old paint brush that was horribly stiff and he used thinner to clean out ( or gas ). He did fall off the ladder one summer when the neighbor lady came out to nude sun bath. Inside the house he did not paint much, but sure it had a good amount of lead when he did.

I remember when i was a kid if we used split shots, did not have pliers, just used teeth. so there is a bit there. I just dont want to eat much more in my life time.

[jeffreyd]

From a report from MnDnr.

http://www.peregrinefund.org/lead_conference/PDF/0307%20Tranel.pdf

[swamptiger]

Lot of reading, but from what I gathered, there might be a case to be made about lead bird shot, but looks like a stretch to go from there to banning all lead fishing tackle and lead bullets.

[mainbutter]

I agree with Jackpine. When I grew up there was leaded gas, lead paint, lead shot for everything and we melted down lead for decoy weights on the kitchen counter. I'm still healty and alive.

And somehow I find myself constantly complaining about old people for all KINDS of reasons

Maybe there is some link between the two?? lol

[mainbutter]

When I see some good, verifiable data that shows how terribly my 180 grain 30-06 bullet is impacting the environment, I'm all ears. Until then, all I can seem to hear is "The Sky is Falling!" Must be the lead paint chips.....

Lead in venison meat is well documented. This link is the first to pop up when I use a search engine and look up "lead venison"

http://www.ndhealth.gov/lead/venison/

Just because it's convenient to ignore the fact that lead is pretty darn toxic doesn't mean we should ignore it completely.

I still will support lead use in firearms and fishing, but at least I do so with full knowledge of the risks.

What I want to know is the process by which it is claimed that fishing lead (in all its various forms) makes it from my lure/fishing line/whatever into the bird. Are they diving and eating jigheads that snagged on something and broke the line? Are fish "eating" lead, and then the birds eat the fish?

[FishonTom]

I myself don't mind using an alternative as long as it works and the cost is even close. I use copper for all my bullets now. Lead, they say was the cause of the downfall of the Roman empire. All their eating utensils were puter, whis is mostly lead, and the plumbing was all lead, not just drains, but fresh water storage.