Connecticut Anglers Defeat a Proposed Ban on Lead Fishing Tackle
In January 2011, Connecticut’s state legislators introduced an unwarranted and burdensome bill that would have placed a state-wide ban on lead fishing tackle. Such a ban would have had a significant negative impact on the state’s recreational anglers and fisheries resources, but a negligible impact on the waterfowl populations that the ban claimed to protect.
Thanks to angler advocates in Connecticut, New England and across the nation, this legislation is no longer being considered for action by the Connecticut General assembly. Even though the bill received a public hearing in the Environment Committee, no vote occurred prior to the committee's deadline of March 25, 2011, rendering it ineligible for further action.
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Not from Connecticut? Find out if your state is impacted by a current or proposed lead tackle ban.
Background
In an attempt to ban the sale and use of commonly used lead fishing sinkers and jigs in the state of Connecticut, S.B. 59 was introduced in the General Assembly on January 10, 2011. A ban of lead sinkers and jigs in Connecticut is not reasonable or warranted without the scientific data to support such a ban. Fishing tackle made from alternatives to lead can be much more expensive and do not perform as well. Adding to this, S.B. 59 proposed a $500 fine per violation, while the penalty for fishing without a license in Connecticut is only $77. This legislation would have placed unnecessary and severe regulations on recreational fishing tackle creating a significant negative impact on Connecticut's anglers.
A ban on lead fishing tackle would have a negative impact on individual anglers and Connecticut's economy. Mandatory transitioning to non-lead alternative fishing tackle would require significant – and costly – investment from anglers and the industry, with most alternatives costing from six to 20 times more their lead counterparts. As a result, many anglers may choose to severely reduce their fishing purchases or stop fishing altogether. Connecticut's anglers currently generate over $268 million in retail sales annually, with a $445 million impact on the state's economy.
The impact on waterfowl populations such as loons and grebes is the most often cited reason for bans on lead fishing tackle, yet Connecticut does not support a breeding loon population and wintering grebe populations are isolated to a few select waterways. Waterfowl populations in Connecticut are subject to much more substantial threats such as habitat loss, water acidification and mercury poisoning. Any lead restrictions need to be based on scientific data that supports the appropriate action for a particular body of water or species.
To learn more about proposed and enacted lead bans in other regions, please click here.
