March has been a busy month for our Fish Lead Free project! We have been at Sportsmans Shows around the state getting the lead out, talking about the lead tackle law, promoting the use of biodegradables, and sharing ideas about properly securing soft plastic lures.
In Maine it is illegal to use lead sinkers or bare lead jigs 2.5 inches or less in length or 1 ounce or less in weight. That’s because lead poisoning in loons is one of the leading causes of death for recovered loon mortalities throughout the state.
Enormous thanks to all the anglers who visited our booths at the sportsmen shows and brought us lead. Augusta pulled in the most with 30 lb, 4oz, or about 2,000 pieces; Orono had 15.7 oz, or 27 pieces; and Presque Isle brought in 9.4 oz, about 22 pieces.
In all, we were able to collect a total 31 lbs., 13.1 oz between the three sportsmen shows for an estimated total of 2,050 pieces of lead. Every piece of lead counts! That’s 2,050 pieces that loons won’t mistake for grit to help digest their food. It only takes one small piece of ingested lead for a loon to experience the effects of lead poisoning.
The biggest misconception out there, that we heard at these shows: “Well, you can’t buy lead tackle these days anyways in Maine.” WRONG! The only lead tackle that is banned for sale in the state is those small sizes—sinkers and bare jig heads 2.5 inches or less in length or 1 ounce or less in weight. Lead tackle is still being sold throughout the state, can be easily overlooked, and end up in your tackle box. Be sure to take a close look when you’re purchasing tackle, and look for that Prop 65* warning.
At a tackle exchange, you bring us your old unwanted lead tackle and we offer you lead-free alternatives or a $10 voucher to use at participating retailers. We had many anglers do a “full tackle box clean out.” Some individuals brought in more than three pounds of lead each! More than 20 anglers cleaned out their boxes and traded their unusable lead tackle for new lead-free alternatives.
We partnered with Stinky Balls on our tackle buyback program at the State of Maine Sportsman’s Show in Augusta. This company is making bait balls that break down in 48 hours if lost in lakes or fish stomachs. These are a great alternative to soft plastics, and the company is encouraging anglers to use these baits on non-lead hooks and jigs. The owner donated some products to folks who turned in lead to help us spread the word about lead-free fishing.
Glasswater Angling continues to support our lead-free efforts by supplying us with many of our lead-free tackle available for trade. The owner gives us discounted rates on large orders and donates additional tackle to our program. He strongly believes in getting the lead out for a better outdoors.
To learn more about the Fish Lead Free program, click here. If you are interested in hosting a tackle exchange, email conserve@maineaudubon.org.
*Proposition 65 requires businesses to provide warnings to Californians about significant exposures to chemicals that cause cancer, birth defects or other reproductive harm.
