Lead Shot

[Vagabond]

quote:

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Originally posted by chesters1:

[QB (i havent bought any for years (tightwad)by carefully reopening it with a knife.

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Chesters, I must be an even tighter wad than you - if fishing on club waters I often come home with more shot than I started out with!

 

Discarded line is still a menace in places - I always collect it, take it home, cut it up and bin it. The reward is that often it has shot attached which go into my tackle bag. I've even found two sets of discarded line that each had a rod and reel attached!

 

BTW I rarely need to use a knife blade to re-open the shot - my thumb nail does the job very well (Hint - if your nails are too soft, perhaps its lack of calcium - so drink more milk and less beer )

[RobStubbs]

It's interesting to note that the report doesn't actually mention lead being from fishing tackle sources, although it implies it. It's highly likely that lead ingestion is a direct result of pollution of the watercourse. Sure our rivers are getting cleaner (well some are) but lead and heavy metals will remain in the silt for decades and thats where swans will feed. As an aside I think the lead shot in guns is an probably unlikely to be a significant factor. Gunshot is supposedly harder and doesn't get ground up in the gizzard as much, apparently.

 

Rob.

[Elton]

The EA have some comments on this issue here . Their attitude seems a lot 'warmer' towards anglers than certain other parties.

 

They also offer advice on legal lead shot here .

 

The EA sometimes get knocked on websites, but my experience has been that they've lean a lot more towards the "let's work together and get these things sorted" stance than the "stop this, stop that" attitudes of others.

 

Tight lines,

 

Elton

[phil hackett]

The EA sometimes get knocked on websites, but my experience has been that they've lean a lot more towards the "let's work together and get these things sorted" stance than the "stop this, stop that" attitudes of others.

 

Tight lines,

 

Elton[/QB]

 

Sorry Elton I don’t agree, they are more subtle and devious as we fund them!

In my area NW the conservation section rule the roost and anything they say goes!

Fisheries are totally subservient to them and anglers view are not even taken into account when there’s a clash with the conservation section.

[Chris Burt]

Phil you obviously have a major problem with the EA in your area, and given that it is the same NW region that is currently trying to ban both dead-baits and livebaits at a wide range of waters in their region I suppose that comes as no suprise. Nationally I have to say my experience of the Fisheries has been just the opposite, they are extremely supportive of angling and have gone out of there way to stand behind us even against their own conservation arm. That is over a long period now too, it's a pity your area is so different.

Moving back onto the swan report, the question of lead used by anglers versus that used in shooting was raised. The actual figures I believe are up to 2 tonnes pa from anglers when lead split shot was in use back in 1987, whereas shooting consumed 800 tonnes pa. Over the last year shooting with lead over water has been banned but that does not take account of what is left in the environment or what might be picked up from swans grazing in fields. More likely however is the point raised by Rob-it could well be down to the lead contained in the silt where swans are very likly to ingest it. The source of lead there is likely to be quite diverse too, and questions have been raised about how much could be angling related.

Like many anglers I would view the RSPB and their motives with considerable suspicion and believe they have a significant (but minority??) anti-angling bias. That does not though tske away the need to keep angling litter and lead from being a hazard to wildlife, and we will no doubt hear much, much ,more on the subject from the media, we must make a very attractive and easy target!

Finally on the hazards of line etc, you'll see the report talks of the "hotspot" problem areas, and these tend to be where young and/or novice anglers fish, particularly in the school holidays. If anyone can influence behavour in these areas through their club etc the most useful guide I've seen is the EA "Golden Rules", it's designed for newcomers and gets the simple messages on litter/line etc across very well. Your local EA office will have thhem, or if anyone wants a stock I'll have these at the Carp Show end March, let me know through SAA site and I'll bring a supply

Regards

Chris

[Nightwing]

Ronan, actualy lead shot is illegal here in the states now for use on any waterfowl. That is why steel and other lead substituts came into use, for the duck and goose hunters. Lead is still used for unpland and pass shooting, but again, is quite illegal for waterfowl. This is a federal mandate, as the feds set the basic laws and rules for any migratory species. Like in the U.K., this came about from fears of lead poisoning in waterfowl.

[RONAN]

THANX for the assistance NIGHTWING. Was`nt sure about the waterfowl end of it. But they still sell lead shot shells for hunting others, right...

 

RONAN