Lead Ban Chronicles – Anglers’ Organizations Upset over NPS Lead Plans
I know, everyone is probably sick and tired of this lead ban discussion. The thing is, it’s a pretty important topic right now, and it bears our constant attention. With the recent action by the National Park Service to work toward an all-out lead ban for sportsmen by 2010, we’re poised at a teetering point for both hunters and fishermen. If this ban goes through, you can count on similar actions by other federal agencies, including BLM and National Forest Service.
But we also need to keep a perspective. This isn’t just about hunting or gun-bans, because the biggest victims in the NPS action will be fishermen. Sportsmen need to be a united community, hunters and fishermen, and we need to approach this kind of action as a whole… not as disparate voices who don’t appear to care about the “others”.
With that in mind, until today, I haven’t heard a lot about the fishing tackle aspect of this ban. Most of the discussions in the hunting community have been the same accusations of a “backdoor gun ban”, and little else. However, it now looks like the American Sportfishing Association and others are getting it together:
Alexandria, VA – March 13, 2009 – The American Sportfishing Association (ASA), along with a number of fish and wildlife management conservation groups, is asking the National Park Service (NPS) to reconsider its ban on the use of fishing tackle made with lead components in national parks by 2010.
“The sportfishing industry is surprised and dismayed by the March 10 announcement made by the National Park Service,” said ASA Vice President Gordon Robertson. “Their intention to eliminate the use of lead in fishing tackle in national parks was made without prior consultation of the sportfishing industry or the millions of recreational anglers who fish within the national park system.”
The ASA press release says the key issue that organization has with the ruling is that there was no collaboration with sporting organizations prior to announcing the decision. This conflicts with the Obama administration’s recent order that the federal government must be transparent and collaborative in policy-making decisions.
Another call that is resounding loudly is for the NPS to offer a scientifically supported justification for the ban.
I believe this is a reasonable approach, and it’s one that we should echo. We should challenge regulations on their scientific merit. Let’s not get too wrapped up in finger-pointing and name-calling, or stuck in the rut of blaming the anti-hunters and “gun-grabbers”. Of course they are involved, but pointing out the obvious doesn’t get us any closer to resolution.
Once I read about this ban, my first thought was about anglers. I’m glad to see that they were paying attention too, and are trying to work towards a resolution.
If the ban does eventually filter into the National Forest Service, it is going to effect me directly as well.
I think all of us should be pulling together on this one, because, quite frankly, I’m sick of the “me” mentality.
March 19th, 2009 at 11:53 am
[...] Lead Ban Chronicles – Anglers’ Organizations Upset over NPS Lead … [...]
March 20th, 2009 at 5:46 am
Fellows,
I just received this:
“Last week, the National Park Service (NPS) issued a statement saying that it intended to eliminate the use of lead ammunition and fishing tackle in its parks by the end of 2010. Now, after heavy criticism from NRA and other hunting and fishing groups, NPS has backpedaled on its anti-lead announcement, saying Wednesday that the ban only applies to NPS employees and authorized agents of the park service.”
The rest of the article is here: http://www.nrahuntersrights.org/Article.aspx?id=1712
Regards,
Albert A Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
The Range Reviews: Tactical
Proud Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit
March 20th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Phillip, I NEVER get sick of your lead ban posts. In fact, I pretty much count on you to let me know what’s going on, because you’re really on top of it, and this is an important issue. Thanks for reminding us that anglers can and should be our allies – especially in this fight.
March 21st, 2009 at 4:39 am
Phillip,
I believe that Yellowstone has had a no-lead rule in place for a while now, so this is probably going to happen. The only place folks will be able to stop it (if they are so inclined) is through science. As far as I know, the only major habitat harm from lead weights is over loon mortality (go to town with that phrase):
http://www.tufts.edu/vet/loons/
You know that I’m not so ruffled by lead bans for habitat reasons, but I think science should be the leading force in this issue, and if folks can reasonably show that there is no significant habitat damage, then they should be allowed to use lead.
Possibly, this needs to be a park-by-park issue, but splitting the difference by having some serious research over it.
Last year the NPS, USGS, and EPA came out with a report on pesticides and other pollutants in Western park units (WACAP: http://www.nature.nps.gov/air/Studies/air_toxics/wacap.cfm), and they found significant levels of pesticides in high mountain lakes in Sequoia, Kings Canyon and Lassen National parks. Perhaps they should do a study like that for lead from fishing tackle.
March 23rd, 2009 at 6:42 pm