![]() ![]() Anglers and lobby groups, accordingly, challenged AB 2787, stating it was based on emotion, not evidence. The proposal, however, did not cite specific statistics to demonstrate a connection between small lead fishing tackle and the death of certain wildlife species. ![]() Water fowl, in particular, are common victims,” Quirk said in a released statement shortly after the bill’s introduction. The lead poisons their liver, leading to a slow death. Often they accidentally ingest discarded lead fishing weights. “Many birds consume river gravel to aid in mashing and digesting food. The proposed ban, as noted earlier, would have applied to lead fishing weights or sinkers of 50 grams or lighter. He proposed a ban on the manufacture, sale or purchase of lead-based fishing weights or sinkers by 2025. Quirk introduced the bill in February, stating lead fishing weights were responsible for killing California’s wildlife. “Proponents of banning lead fishing tackle will not give up, even if there is no science to justify it.” ![]() “Anglers can claim a big victory here, but there is no question that we need to continue to communicate to legislators the importance of protecting recreational fishing’s future,” Mlikotin stated. He added the amended bill, despite lingering questions about the proposed study, is a victory for California’s anglers. Mlikotin added CSL coordinated a petition to stop the lead fishing ban proposal and gathered more than 5,500 signatures. A statement issued by CSL shortly after the Assembly committee vote stated it hoped the study would be conducted by an objective government agency. “The study, as defined by the author, is overly broad and could be contracted out to an anti-fishing organization, instead of an objective government agency.”ĪB 2787, as amended, would direct a non-government agency to study the effects of lead on California wildlife. “While we appreciate the author’s willingness to amend the bill and work with the angling community, the bill has not earned our support – not yet,” Marko Mlikotin, Executive Director of the California Sportfishing League (CSL), said in a released statement. The amended bill still posed some concerns to California’s angling lobby. ![]()
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