This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately, and I think legislators in California should be doing the same. New Hampshire has enacted a multi-step ban that will ban all fishing weights of less than one ounce by 2006.New York, Vermont, and Maine ban the sale of lead fishing weights weighing one-half ounce or less. Canada bans use of lead sinkers weighing less than 50 grams, and the UK Environment Agency says, "No fishing weights made of lead may be used except those of 0.06 grams or less and those of more than 28.35 grams". But we are a long way from removing lead from our watersheds.
"I went fishing for salmon for the first time in my life last year in Washington along a beautiful quiet river with about 100 or so other anglers. Besides depositing beer cans, cigarette butts, fish guts, fast food trash, hundreds of yards of fishing line and multitudes of hooks, etc., I quickly noticed that due the rocky nature of the stream bottom anglers commonly broke their lines several times per session. Most of these "sportsmen" used lead weights on the end their lines. Considering that this has been happening every year for 30 (?) years or so there is probably a truckload of submerged lead lurking there. Does this practice pose a risk to the environment? Is lead really the most suitable material for this endeavor?"
Read the response from Straightdope.com here
Here's a great page about lead sinkers and Loons
And here's what we should be doing on Morro Bay, CA
