Petition To Ban Lead Fishing Tackle Rejected

[NCbassmaster4Life]

If there ever is a ban of lead, a lot of companies are gonna have to switch to a better alternative and besides tungston...hmmm.. there are other elements that aren't hazardous to the enviornment.

[SirSnookalot]

Long before the age of computers typeset was used in printing presses, linotype, tin, antimony and other lead alloys were used. Workers handled the typeset constantly all day long. I personally have been in many lead smelting operations, those workers are dealing with fumes as well as handling the material. Of the people I have encountered, quite a few have had very long lives, didn't seem none the worse for wear. Xray techs constantly handle lead, many radioactve medicines are packaged in lead.

I wonder if there is any data linking life expectency and sickness of those that handled lead and it's alloys to back up this scare.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

It's all smoke and mirrors. The tree huggers, (bird huggers?) will always find something to complain about. Give it time, once they start finding dead birds with tungsten in them, they'll blame it. These people just won't ever be happy. Plus according to they're chart more die from unknown causes then anything else. How much you want to bet, the next ban will be on "unknown".

Here's a solution, use Stainless Steel, I here it is bad for all wildlife. Or better yet Uranium sinkers. That would kill most everything. I mean we wouldn't want to discriminate now would we?

[Nitrofreak]

Long before the age of computers typeset was used in printing presses, linotype, tin, antimony and other lead alloys were used. Workers handled the typeset constantly all day long. I personally have been in many lead smelting operations, those workers are dealing with fumes as well as handling the material. Of the people I have encountered, quite a few have had very long lives, didn't seem none the worse for wear. Xray techs constantly handle lead, many radioactve medicines are packaged in lead.

I wonder if there is any data linking life expectency and sickness of those that handled lead and it's alloys to back up this scare.

Most all of the ways that we use lead today are protected in ways that we do not come in direct contact, X-ray techs use plates that are sealed as are the radioactive medicines too.

I have been in the automotive industry for 40 years now, I used to restore and customise older vehicles, lead was used to put together roof tops and other various parts on vehicles all the way through the 70's, during that time I have handeled lead in many different ways.

It has been handeled with care over my time as a tech, the only ones that have been effected by lead poisoning are usually the ones that did not know the long term effects of lead, either through pure stupidity or through companies that just did not give a crap about their employees and were not educated about the effects, tough pill to swollow I know, but way back when, you worked and were happy to have a job no matter the conditions.

[Nitrofreak]

If there ever is a ban of lead, a lot of companies are gonna have to switch to a better alternative and besides tungston...hmmm.. there are other elements that aren't hazardous to the enviornment.

As far as I know and the way I read the statement published by this group, there is a variety of ways these birds develop lead poisoning, but the only one they mentioned is lead from fishing tackle.

The way I see it is they are really going way too far to ban the way we use lead, now I fully understand why they are doing this, what I mean to say is we have to look at it this way, we love to fish and we are very passionate about all things related to our sport, but at the same time they are very passionate about their birds, I totally get that, but they are in very early stages of what could happen if this method is continued to be used in the manner we use them, a few birds out of 1,500 may not be a big deal to us and to most it's not, myself included, but a few years down the road...maybe.

Do we need a ban on lead fishing gear now?, HELL NO !, do we need to find an alternitive?, it wouldn't hurt to start discussions on a safe, economical alternitive I think.

Here is my thoughts at least for now, until we can find that enviromentally friendly solution, most lead uses today are sealed in one form or another to help protect it in the enviroments in which we use it for, why can't we at the very least coat the lead in a durable coating of some shape or form to protect it if it should be injested.

[fowlskies]

What I want to know is; does the fishing industry have an organization with lobbyists to fight these irrational organization's false claims aimed at their agendas, like the hunting and gun industry has the NRA, Ducks Unlimited, ect.? Of course they didn't do to well with the lead ban in waterfowl hunting. But does BASS, FLW and others have lobbyists to stand up for the everyday fisherman against these PETA backed/wannabe so called conservation organizations?

Although I would be a proud member of PETA if you are talking about People Eating Tastey Animals. I would fully support that organization.

[Nitrofreak]

Although I would be a proud member of PETA if you are talking about People Eating Tastey Animals. I would fully support that organization.

I am the president of that club and I have the T-Shirt to prove it!!!

You are welcome to join if you like...membership is free.

[J Francho]

If you think you are battling PETA over this issue, you are sorely mistaken. What you are up against is a knee jerk, emotional response from the common public (anglers and non anglers alike) when shown gory autopsy photos of a few a dead loons, showing the results of ingesting lead. The next sentence is that this is from lead sinkers, and that is that. It's an easy decision when it seems that simple. The facts are, lead from fishing isn't impacting the loon population one bit.

[Nitrofreak]

The facts are, lead from fishing isn't impacting the loon population one bit.

I would have to agree with you there, studies show growing numbers in loon populations not a decline.

[Gatorbassman]

What I want to know is; does the fishing industry have an organization with lobbyists to fight these irrational organization's false claims aimed at their agendas, like the hunting and gun industry has the NRA, Ducks Unlimited, ect.? Of course they didn't do to well with the lead ban in waterfowl hunting. But does BASS, FLW and others have lobbyists to stand up for the everyday fisherman against these PETA backed/wannabe so called conservation organizations?

Although I would be a proud member of PETA if you are talking about People Eating Tastey Animals. I would fully support that organization.

I wish other states would do the same thing as Georgia. First of all we voted to have fishing and hunting protected in our state's constitution. We have Legislative rules in place that state that any proposed law that involves fish, wildlife, or any other natural resource must be approved by the Department of Natural Resources and/or Fish and Wildlife before it is brought up for vote in Congress or placed on a ballot for the general public. Then we have a grass roots organization called The Georgia Outdoor Network that is set up in a way that information can be passed around to all concerned sportsmen in a matter of hours. So if any animal rights group is pulling any of their tricks with any government office we all can be notified so we can flood the phones of our representatives almost instantly.

[fowlskies]

It probally does have to start at the state level but here in NY I think most issues like this go through our DEC first and we still ended up with a ban on lead sinkers less than an oz. We almost need an organization that is on the polar opposite end to fight these orgs, one that will go to the extent that these "PETA" orgs will go to but just in the opposite point of view. At that point a good even middle ground can be reached (its sad but its true). I honestly believe we would have gun laws simular to that of the British if it wasn't for the NRA and simular organizations sticking up for the 2nd admendment. It looks like the fishing industry is next in line for these "conservation" groups and we need a good clear, loud voice to combat them.

J Franco, sorry but if you think that these groups don't have PETAish tendencies then you're sorely mistaken. What do you think PETA's main weapon is? Its those gory photos you're talking about. They use them to get knee jerk reactions from the non-informed public to help thier agenda.

[Quillback]

It's great that some states have sportsmen rights protection processes, but this proposed ban was on a federal level. If it ever gets passed into law, it will be a nationwide ban. States would be forced to comply.

[J Francho]

J Franco, sorry but if you think that these groups don't have PETAish tendencies then you're sorely mistaken.

I didn't say that. The fact is, this "ban lead movement" originates from a Tufts University college professor's study. It's NEVER represented as PETA based. The study preys upon emotion about loons. Loons disappear when there is pollution and water quality issues. They have made quite the comeback in the last decade, and they represent environmental recovery to many. It's those people that associate the health of the ecosystem with the loon's success that these guys ensnare. Trust me, I live in a state with a lead ban and it wasn't a bunch of PETA/treehuggers that banned it. It was a mislead (no pun intended) voting public.