New Hampshire’s new law banning lead fishing sinkers goes into effect June 1.
I commend the Fish and Game Department for making this change to protect important wildlife like the loon. Lead, which is notoriously toxic to wildlife & humans alike, is used to make fishing tackle and gun ammunition, which oftentimes gets left behind in the environment and can be ingested by our native wildlife.
In New Hampshire, lead poisoning is responsible for nearly half of all adult loon deaths, including a loon found dead on Lake Winnipesaukee last summer.
The connection between our actions and impacts on wildlife couldn’t be clearer. Humans can also be poisoned by exposure to lead. We’ve already removed lead from a number of consumer items, such as gasoline and paint. Yet we still release an enormous amount of lead into the environment every year through fishing and hunting.
Lead bullets easily fragment when they strike, and people consuming meat from hunted animals are putting themselves and their families at risk of lead exposure.
There is no safe level of lead exposure. Thoughtful outdoor recreationalists should consider these facts and take a hard look at the gear they are using.
Nontoxic alternatives are readily available for both fishing and hunting, and ensure a much safer experience for both wildlife and humans.
KAREN MAYER
Seabrook