Little Bay de Noc Fishing Reports

If you use any lead based sinkers for fishing take minute and fill out this form.
Thank You.
Walleye's Choice Fishing Tackle

Federal Bill to Protect Traditional Fishing Tackle introduced
Help Fight Unreasonable Bans on Fishing Tackle;
Send a letter to your Senators urging them to support S.3850

On Wednesday, September 28, Senator Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) introduced S.3850, which seeks to prevent an overarching federal ban on lead in recreational fishing tackle. If enacted, this ban will have a significant economic impact on anglers and the recreational fishing industry.

The EPA previously announced, in a letter to the petitioners, they did not have the legal authority to ban traditional ammunition. However, in that same letter, they indicated that the EPA does have the authority to review the second portion of the petition regarding traditional fishing tackle.

Senate Bill 3850 will exempt traditional fishing tackle, in a way similar to traditional ammo, from being regulated under the TSCA. The legislation also includes language strengthening the protections for traditional ammunition by clarifying that its components remain exempt.

The reasons to support this legislation are:
The data does not support a federal ban on lead sinkers used for fishing. In general, bird populations, including loons and other waterfowl species, are subject to many more substantial threats such as habitat loss through shoreline development. Any lead restrictions on fishing tackle need to be based on sound science that supports the appropriate action for a particular water body or species.

A federal ban of the use of lead in fishing tackle will have a significant negative impact on recreational anglers and fisheries resources, but a negligible impact on waterfowl populations.

Depending on the alternative metal and current prevailing raw material costs, non-lead fishing tackle products can cost from ten to twenty times more than lead products. Non-lead products may not be as available and most do not perform as well. Mandatory transitioning to non-lead fishing tackle would require significant and costly changes from both the industry and anglers.

America's 60 million anglers generate over $45 billion in retail sales with a $125 billion impact on the nations economy, creating employment for over one million people.

Click here to be directed to a letter that you can send to your Senators asking them to support S.3850
http://capwiz.com/keepamericafishing...ertid=17980506

Dan Thomas, President
Great Lakes Sport Fishing Council