FARMINGTON – Anglers, it’s time to swap out that old lead fishing tackle – for free! The Franklin County Soil and Water Conservation District is taking the lead in a Fishing Tackle Exchange Program 2009 in partnership with the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund and Somerset County SWCD.
Angling and other outdoor sports deposit thousands of tons of lead into the environment each year. Though Maine banned the sale of lead sinkers less than one half ounce in 2002, lead poisoning continues to be a problem. All lead-based tackle is still legal for fishermen to use and lead-headed jigs are currently still legal to sell and use. Therefore, lead is still being added to our lakes each year. This toxic addition to a lake can be a death sentence for Maine’s loons, other water birds, and even the raptors, such as bald eagles, that may feed on these water birds.
When sinkers and jigs are lost by anglers, these items settle on the bottom of the lake, where they do not dissolve. Loons and other water birds forage the bottom of lakes for gravel. This gravel or “grit,” enables their gizzards to break down fish bones. Lead sinkers and jig heads are ingested when they are mistaken by the birds for the grit they require. Birds may also ingest lead when feeding on fish attached to lead fishing gear. As the lead sinker or jig is exposed to the pebbles in the gizzard and acids of the stomach, lead enters the bird’s system and slowly poisons the bird.
The good news is that tragedies like this can be prevented. There are many non-toxic alternatives to lead fishing tackle, including those made of natural rocks, tin, steel, bismuth, ceramic and more. Many retail stores carry these alternatives and still more would be carried if the public demand for these products increased.
Now anglers within Franklin County’s borders can clean the toxic tackle out of their boxes and get replacement non-toxic tackle for free! The program begins in June and will continue while supplies last. Visit the District’s Web site, www.franklincswcd.org for more details or stop by 107 Park St., Farmington, with your tackle box.
