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If you fish with lead sinkers and jigs, read on for new initiatives to reduce lead pollution to Canadian lakes and rivers…
The Federal government is proposing to prohibit the import, manufacture, and sale of lead sinkers and jigs used for recreational angling. It is not proposing to prohibit the use or possession of lead fishing gear. With a prohibition on the import, manufacture, and sale of the specified lead products, it is expected that the availability of these products will rapidly decrease, and that additional lead deposition into lakes and rivers from fishing gear that is harmful to waterbirds should effectively cease.
Lead is recognized globally as a toxic substance for both humans and animals. The Government of Canada recognizes the risks posed by lead exposure, and has a number of regulations and initiatives designed to protect humans and the environment against the adverse effects of lead.
Ongoing research and assessment have revealed that lead poisoning from sinker or jig ingestion is an issue of serious concern with regard to the protection of certain wildlife. Many water birds, in particular loons, can suffer from lead poisoning and death by ingesting a single small lead sinker or jig. Loons ingest lost sinkers mixed with gravel when they consume grit to aid digestion, or when they consume lost bait fish with hook, line, and sinker still attached. Other than recent outbreaks of disease (botulism) during their migration on the Great Lakes, ingestion of lead sinkers or jigs is often the leading cause of mortality for loons in eastern North America.
Canadian Action to DateIn response to this problem, in Canada, the Wildlife Area Regulations were amended in 1997 to prohibit possession of any lead sinker or jig weighing less than 50 grams while fishing in any National Wildlife Area (NWA) where sport fishing is allowed. In a parallel initiative in 1997, the National Parks Fishing Regulations were amended to prohibit the possession and use of lead sinkers or jigs while fishing in national parks.
The Proposed Regulatory ApproachThe government is proposing to prohibit the import, manufacture, and sale of lead sinkers and jigs used for recreational angling. It is not proposing to prohibit the use or possession of lead fishing gear. With a prohibition on the import, manufacture, and sale of the specified lead products, it is expected that the availability of these products will rapidly decrease, and that additional lead deposition into lakes and rivers from fishing gear that is harmful to waterbirds should effectively cease.
It should be noted that this approach is consistent with Canada’s 1995 Toxic Substances Management Policy and with commitments called for under the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Lead Risk Reduction program to promote the use of nontoxic alternatives to lead sinkers and jigs. This action also supports the objectives of the Migratory Birds Convention Act.
A federal government committee has examined the use of various legal instruments to control the introduction of lead sinkers and jigs into the environment. It was determined that the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 has the most appropriate legal authority for any proposed regulatory action. Lead is listed as Item 7 on the List of Toxic Substances in Schedule 1 of the Act.
Based on information collected to date, removal of leaded fishing gear less than 2 cm in length in any direction, and less than 50 grams in weight would essentially eliminate the threat of lead poisoning from fishing gear to waterbirds in Canada. Therefore, consistent with existing regulations on fishing gear in Canada and elsewhere, the Government is proposing a prohibition on the import, manufacture, and sale of fishing sinkers and jigs which are less than 2 cm in length in any direction, weigh less than 50 grams, and contain more than 1% lead by weight. The proposed lead content limit of 1% would also apply to other tackle, such as spinners, lures, spoons, etc., that attach to fishing line and that because of their small size could be swallowed by waterbirds. This is consistent with the definitions of lead sinker and jig under the NWA and National Parks regulations.
There is always the potential that replacements for lead fishing weights could themselves be toxic. To ensure that safe alternatives are used, Environment Canada is proposing to work with stakeholders to develop guidelines under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act for determining alternative materials.
A similar approach was used when lead shot for most migratory game bird hunting was prohibited nationally in Canada in 1999. Toxicity Test Guidelines for Non-Toxic Shot for Hunting Migratory Birds were established to evaluate alternatives to lead shot for their toxicity. So far under this process, the following materials have been determined to be non-toxic: various combinations of iron, bismuth, nickel, tin, and tungsten. Rubber and ceramic have also been allowed. Zinc has been rejected as a non-toxic alternative to lead shot.
As indicated, it is anticipated that possession and use of existing fishing gear will not be included in the prohibition. However, the government will be encouraging the safe disposal of leaded gear by recommending that anglers bring lead fishing gear to their appropriate community hazardous-waste disposal sites.
Consultations and Timing of the RegulationThe public can take part in the development of this regulatory proposal by providing comments on the proposal, as outlined in this discussion paper. The final date for those comments is March 18, 2005.
After the comment period, the Regulations will be developed according to the federal regulatory development process, and there will be further opportunity for comment when they are pre-published in the Canada Gazette Part I.
Please send comments to:
Lead Free Fishing Consultations
3rd floor
351 St. Joseph Blvd.
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0H3
Or by e-mail to: LeadFreeFishingConsultations@ec.gc.ca
For more information, or to read the paper entitled Lead fishing sinkers and jigs in Canada: Review of their use patterns and toxic impacts on wildlife visit the Canadian Wildlife Service website