Lead Poisoning

A special thank-you to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for the information and links on this page.

Lead is a toxic metal that, in sufficient quantities, has adverse effects on the nervous and reproductive systems of mammals and birds. Found in most fishing jigs and sinkers, as well as some ammunition used in hunting, this metal is poisoning wildlife such as loons and eagles.

But there is hope. There are alternatives to traditional lead tackle and ammunition. Hunters and anglers can now use ammunition, sinkers, and jigs made from non-poisonous materials such as tin, bismuth, copper, steel, and tungsten-nickel alloy -- and they can find them at established sporting goods retailers and on the Internet.

When lead fishing sinkers are lost through broken line or other means, birds such as loons, swans, and eagles can inadvertently eat them. Some birds swallow lead when they scoop up pebbles from the bottom of a lake or river to help grind their food; others ingest lead by eating fish that have swallowed sinkers. When lead ammunition is used in the hunting of large game, and gut piles are left behind or the animal is wounded and dies later, eagles can swallow a piece of shrapnel as they scavenge on the remains of the dead animal.

A bird with lead poisoning will have physical and behavioral changes, including loss of balance, gasping, tremors, and impaired ability to fly. The weakened bird is more vulnerable to predators, or it may have trouble feeding, mating, nesting, and caring for its young. It becomes emaciated and often dies within two to three weeks after eating the lead. Eating just one lead sinker can poison a loon. One or two pieces of lead shot or a sliver of shrapnel from a bullet can be enough to kill a bald eagle.

While it is hard to get an accurate count of water birds and birds of prey that die of lead poisoning, conservative estimates indicate that lead poisoning is a serious concern. A 15-year study, analyzing 222 dead loons from Minnesota and 17 other states, concluded that 10 percent died of lead poisoning. Half of those loons actually had lead fishing sinkers in their stomachs.

In another study conducted by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, lead poisoning accounted for 17 percent of the dead loons sent to research centers for autopsy. In areas where loons breed -- the Great Lakes region, northeastern United States, and eastern Canada -- lead poisoning from sinkers or jigs may account for up to 50 percent of the dead adult loons found by researchers.

Between 1980 and 1996, The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota reported lead poisoning in 138 of 650 eagles treated by the Center. Since 1996, an average of 25 percent of the bald eagles admitted to The Raptor Center each year have toxic levels of lead in their blood. Most of the time, the source of the lead cannot be detected, as the birds have cast the material out of their systems. However, The Raptor Center admits the majority of lead-poisoned eagles during the period from mid-November through early December, when deer-hunting season is underway in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

Because federal regulations requiring the use of non-toxic shot for waterfowl were implemented in 1991, scientists at The Raptor Center think that the source of ongoing lead poisoning in bald eagles is ammunition used in the hunting of large game, as well as lead jigs and sinkers used in fishing. Other investigators have cited lead fragments in bodies of ground squirrels and other small mammals that eagles scavenge.

In the mid-1980s, shrapnel from rifle and shotgun slugs embedded in the flesh of big game such as deer and elk was found to be a source of lead poisoning and death for California condors, an endangered species being restored in California and Arizona. Lead poisoning in free-flying condors continues to be one of the most challenging aspects of condor reintroduction today, so much so that the California Condor Recovery Team recently formed a subcommittee to address the issue.

Hunters and anglers can help prevent lead poisoning.

Inexpensive and ecologically sound alternatives to lead fishing weights and lead ammunition are available. Hunters and anglers can use ammunition, sinkers, and jigs made from non-poisonous materials such as tin, bismuth, copper, steel, and tungsten-nickel alloy.

A great way to help is teaching good stewardship to young anglers. Outfit kids' tackle boxes with non-lead weights. They are non-toxic and safer for youngsters to handle. Plus, inexperienced anglers tend to lose the most sinkers, so you'll be cutting down on the amount of lead getting left behind in lakes and rivers.

In many areas, non-lead tackle isn't just a good idea -- it's the law. Restrictions and bans of lead fishing sinkers and jigs are becoming more common in the United States and other countries.

· New Hampshire has banned the use of lead fishing sinkers that weigh less than an ounce and lead jigs smaller than an inch.

· Maine and New York have banned the sale of lead sinkers weighing a half-ounce or less.

· In Minnesota, new bills were introduced in the Minnesota Senate (S.F. No. 23) and House of Representatives (H.F. No. 192) in 2003 that would prohibit both the sale and use of lead sinkers in the state.

· Great Britain banned the use of lead sinkers in 1987.

· In Canadian national parks and national wildlife areas, it is illegal to use lead fishing sinkers and jigs weighing less than 50 grams, a ban that went into effect in 1997.

· The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is currently discussing the ban of lead sinkers and jigs on National Wildlife Refuges where loons and trumpeter swans breed.

· Use non-lead ammunition and fishing weights. Inexpensive and ecologically sound alternatives to lead ammunition and fishing weights are available. Anglers should use sinkers and jigs made from non-hazardous materials such as steel, tin, and bismuth. The Barnes X-Bullet, made of solid copper, is one of several alternatives for big game hunters.

· Purchase environmentally friendly non-lead sinkers and jigs. Encourage sporting goods stores to stock non-lead fishing tackle and ammunition.

· Never throw old fishing and hunting gear into the water or woods or onto the shore. Discard old lead sinkers, jigs, and ammunition properly. For example, you may want to bring them to your local household hazardous waste collection site during your next visit.

· Spread the word. Tell other hunters and anglers about the problem, and encourage them to switch to non-lead sinkers, jigs, and ammunition.

Non-lead fishing tackle is not a novelty product. There are now more than 10 non-lead materials being used to make alternatives to lead ammunition, jigs, and sinkers, including copper, tin, stainless steel, bismuth, tungsten-nickel alloy, ceramic, and brass. For a current list of manufacturers and retailers of lead-free alternatives, visit http://www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/reduce/sinkers.cfm#manufacturers