EPA Sides With Anglers in War Against Fishing

Wind turbines are far more dangerous to birds than is lead fishing tackle.

On the freshwater front, anglers have won another battle in the war against fishing. For the second time in little more than a year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has denied a petition to ban lead fishing tackle nationally.

But the Center for Biological Diversity and its anti-angling allies won’t stop. Right now, they’re challenging EPA’s denial of their first petition and, in New Hampshire, they’re trying to expand restrictions already in place for state waters.

Most common argument for a ban is that populations of loons and other waterfowl are being diminished because the birds ingest the lead. But no scientific study supports that assertion.  Fatalities occur, but they are infrequent.

By contrast, wind mills kill hundreds of thousands of birds, including eagles and other raptors, annually --- a fact that some green groups choose to ignore as they wage war against sport fishing.

From the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation:

Science has prevailed. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has denied a petition by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD)—an anti-sportsmen group—that would have precipitated significant restrictions on lead fishing tackle all over the United States.

The CBD wanted the EPA to use the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) to heavily regulate anglers from using tackle they have long used even though science doesn’t support such a measure. The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) has been, and will continue to, fight such unscientific lead bans and restrictions at the state and federal level.

And Keep America Fishing added this:

Listening to the voices of thousands of activist anglers, on February 14, 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) once again rejected the most recent petition to federally ban lead fishing tackle under the Toxic Substances Control Act. KeepAmericaFishing™ thanks everyone who took action on this important issue.

Ultimate Sportfishing Experience in Florida Keys Could Be Yours

Activist Angler with a Florida Keys permit, quickly photographed and released.

How does a fishing trip to Islamorada in the Florida Keys sound right about now, during the dead of winter? Not something that you can afford? Just a dream during these tough economic times?

If  you’re the lucky winner in the Ultimate Sportfishing Experience, cost won’t be a consideration. You and a friend will be the guests of Keep America Fishing and GAFF Magazine for a  four-day, three-night trip to Islamorada.

Click here to enter. Or you can ”like” Keep America Fishing or GAFF Magazine on Facebook.

Here is what Keep America Fishing says about the contest, along with its mission:

“As the voice of the American angler, Keep America Fishing™ is the fastest growing community of anglers dedicated to fisheries conservation. This dedicated community is committed to keeping our public waters open, clean and abundant with fish. Keep America Fishing is proud to announce its membership is now 500,000 strong – and growing!

 “To celebrate this achievement and thank anglers nationwide, Keep America Fishing is partnering with premier coastal fishing publication, GAFF Magazine, to give away The  Ultimate Sportfishing Experience.”  

The trip for two will include airfare and car rental, resort lodging and dining, full- and half-day chartered fishing trips, fishing gear, apparel, and more.

“It has never been more important for anglers, as stewards of this time-honored pastime, to show their commitment to fisheries conservation,” said Kurt Artecona, CEO of GAFF Entertainment. “We are honored to partner with Keep America Fishing to protect the sport we love for generations to come.”

Anti-Fishing Groups Attack Again with Petition for Lead Ban

Anti-fishing groups once again are attacking recreational angling by trying to force a ban on lead fishing tackle.

On Nov. 16, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was again petitioned by the Center for Biological Diversity and two other groups, requesting that the agency regulate the manufacture and sale of lead fishing tackle of certain sizes and uses under the toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). If approved, such regulation could result in a ban of lead sinkers, jigs, and other popular types of fishing equipment.

In that skirmish, more than 43,000 anglers sent their objections to EPA through Keep America Fishing. 
EPA dismissed a similar petition in November 2010.  The agency indicated that the “petitioners have not demonstrated that the requested rule is necessary to protect against an unreasonable risk of injury to health or the environment, as required by the TSCA.”

Gordon Robertson of the American Sportfishing Association says this:

“The sportfishing community is once again asking the EPA to rule on the side of scientific fish and wildlife population management and dismiss this unwarranted petition.

 “Such regulations will have a significant, negative impact on recreational anglers and the sportfishing industry, yet the petitioners lack credible science to back such a far-reaching request. They claim lead is threatening loons across the nation, but several studies, including one by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, have shown that loon populations are either stable or increasing throughout most of their range.”

Robertson adds, "This further demonstrates the need for a legislative solution to this growing threat to recreational fishing. In response, the co-chairs of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus have introduced the Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Sports Protection Act, which would prevent an overreaching ban of lead fishing tackle.

“With anti-fishing organizations trying to over-regulate fishing using whatever means they can, legislation is needed to protect traditional fishing tackle and ammunition from unjustified bans that will harm the economy and reduce participation in outdoor activities."

ASA will soon provide suggested comments at Keep America Fishing.

 Two of the three petitioners in this second petition also are engaged in a lawsuit against EPA’s dismissal of the original petition to ban lead fishing tackle.

“The petitioners are taking advantage of our federal government, ignoring the decision that the EPA made just a year ago and working around the ongoing litigation that they filed shortly after that decision,” says Robertson.

“This is a gaming of the system and ASA urges the EPA to deny the most recent petition and asks all anglers to voice their support for the Hunting, Fishing and Recreational Shooting Sports Protection Act.”

Activist Angler position: No scientific evidence exists to support a ban on lead fishing tackle, and I believe that anti-fishing groups use this issue to try to force us off the water. But I would like to see industry move away from lead in fishing tackle. I use tungsten almost exclusively and find it far superior to lead for a number of reasons. Yes, it is a little more expensive.

Angler Says Maryland Doesn't Protect Access in State Park

Patapsco Valley State Park

Angling access conflicts aren’t always played out on a national  stage. Sometimes the issue is at the state level or even more local. Here’s what a reader told me:

“I have fished in the Patapsco (Valley) State Park in Maryland for over 20 years.

“They have signs up stating no swimming in many languages. Over the summer the signs were ignored and the fishing areas were taken over by swimmers. Instead of the park officials doing anything, they just drove by, unconcerned.

“You have to pay to enter the park. If you can't find an area to fish, you just wasted your money and time.

“When fall arrived, my son and I thought we would try to fish our favorite spot in the park. We parked and made the modest hike, only to find police tape up by the dam that said, ‘Do not cross.’

“Evidently one of the people who were in the water illegally was injured. Instead of enforcing the no swimming, they closed the area.

“This seems wrong to me. You pay for a license and you pay to enter the park and do a legal pursuit and are forbidden because the park service will not enforce the laws of the park. I would hope there are others out there who feel the same way.”

What should you do if this happens to you?

You should complain. Tell your story calmly and accurately to resource managers and to the media. And don’t give up. If you tell enough people, someone will listen. Also, remember this: when you lose access, we all do.

Strength lies in numbers. Join other anglers in a club or organization such as B.A.S.S. or Trout Unlimited. Sign up with Keep America Fishing. Then when you encounter an access issue, you will have ready-made allies and a platform to expose the problem.

Act Now in Support of Legislation to Stop Fishing Closures

In June, KeepAmericaFishing™ asked anglers to support the Fishery Science Improvement Act, legislation introduced in the House of Representatives that will stop federal officials from arbitrarily setting restrictive catch limits on many important marine sportfish. Now that a companion bill has been introduced in the Senate, we need your help again to ensure passage of this important legislation before it’s too late and unnecessary catch restrictions are put into place!

Send a message to your members of Congress today, asking them to support this common-sense legislation that will help ensure a future for our marine resources and a future for recreational angling.


 As amended in 2006, the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act requires Regional Fishery Management Councils and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries) to put in place annual catch limits (ACLs) and accountability measures (AMs) for every fishery by December 31, 2011. The requirements were predicated on two critical assumptions:

• NOAA Fisheries would make decisions based on up-to-date and accurate stock assessments.
• NOAA Fisheries would improve catch data to better anticipate potential problems in a given fishery.

Neither of these obligations has been met and the results will be overly restrictive regulations and closures for recreational fishing.

Guesswork has no place in the management of America’s natural resources, and poorly-planned ACLs will have significant negative impacts on anglers and the businesses and communities dependent on our nation’s fisheries.

The Fisheries Science Improvement Act, H.R. 2304 in the House and S. 1916 in the Senate, seeks to ensure that the NOAA Fisheries sets catch limits based on scientific data, not on guesswork, as is currently happening for many recreationally important species such as wahoo, cobia and mahi mahi.

For more information, view the FSIA Fact Sheet.

Click here to send a message to your members of Congress in support of the Fishery Science Improvement Act and help ensure a better future for our marine fisheries resources and a future for recreational angling.