KeepAmericaFishing

Not from Washington? Find out if your state is impacted by a current or proposed lead tackle ban.

Background

In November 2009, the WFWC received a proposed rule to ban the use of small lead fishing tackle on 13 lakes in Washington. This proposal was brought forth by a local loon conservation organization who suggested that lead fishing tackle is a significant threat to common loon populations; however, a study of common loons by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife found "no evidence of a declining population or a substantial change in distribution" in the state. During the WFWC's meeting in early February, the Commission decided not to accept the proposal and instead sought public input before acting on any proposed changes. The Commission established an advisory committee to provide suggestions on a potential ban of lead fishing tackle. Although the advisory committee could not come to a decision, the Commission considered, as a proposal, a ban on all leaded fishing tackle on the 13 lakes. Ultimately, at its December 4, 2010 meeting, the commission decided on a less severe, partial ban on lead fishing tackle.

The American Sportfishing Association, along with four other Washington state recreational fishing organizations, presented the WFWC with a community-oriented proposal. In this proposal, the sportfishing community would have assisted the Department in learning more about loons in Washington; offered an educational component for water-based recreationists - including anglers - on interactions with loons; encouraged anglers to work with the Department on loon surveys and habitat projects; and provided some funding assistance to the Department for loon population studies. This proposal was dismissed with the adoption of the partial lead tackle ban.

While loon advocates indicated their satisfaction with the partial ban, they have since begun efforts to regulate lead fishing tackle state-wide. In January 2012, legislation (HB 2241) was introduced into the Washington House of Representatives to ban popular lead fishing tackle in all state waters. Due to overwhelming angler response, the bill was defeated in the Washington legislature’s House Environment Committee and has been removed from the legislative calendar, preserving the sportfishing heritage in Washington, which has an annual economic impact of more than $1.6 billion and supports almost 15,000 Washington jobs.

Such a ban is not necessary and is not supported by sound science. Over the past 13 years, only nine loons are found to have died from ingesting lead fishing tackle in Washington. Throughout their range, loon populations are stable and even increasing in most cases, despite substantial threats such as habitat loss, predation, disease and environmental toxins, all of which have much more significant impacts on loon populations than the ingestion of lead fishing tackle.

Lead fishing products are widely used in nearly all types of fishing. Products made of different metals have significant cost and/or performance issues; some alternatives may even be twenty times more expensive. Increased restrictions on the use of lead sinkers and jigs in Washington lakes would require anglers to make costly changes. Sufficient data must exist to demonstrate that lost lead sinkers are an actual threat to the sustainability of loons or other wildlife populations before further laws or policies are enacted to restrict the use of lead fishing tackle in Washington or elsewhere.

Voluntary Angler Actions

America's anglers are conservationists first and foremost, having paid nearly $6 billion since 1950 for fisheries conservation across the nation, and have a long history of making sacrifices for the betterment of the resources. KeepAmericaFishing™ encourages anglers to take these voluntary steps to minimize the probability of losing fishing tackle into the water.

• Use sufficiently strong fishing line and leaders when fishing with sinkers and jigs;
• Make sure to tie lures and jigs using strong knots;
• Tightly crimp split-shot weights using pliers; and
• Discard all unusable fishing tackle, such as line, hooks and sinkers, in proper trash receptacles and never dump into the water or shore