CSIA
Newsletter – May, 2004
Legislative
Issues Update
By Phil Morlock
Proposed
Federal Fishing Tackle Ban
Federal Environment Minister David Anderson announced in February that, “he will soon propose regulations that will bring about an eventual prohibition on the import, manufacture and sale of fishing sinkers and jigs containing lead”. Information coming from the Environment Canada spokesman suggests this ban will extend far beyond sinkers and jigs to include many other fishing tackle products popular for fresh and saltwater angling which contain lead or lead by-product ( e.g. brass ) weighing approximately two ounces (50 grams) or less.
The tackle falling under the Environment Canada definition includes trolling and casting spoons, sinking crank baits and stick baits, lead core line, spinner baits and buzz baits, and a wide range of west coast salmon and steelhead tackle. We have not received any assurances that brass gears in fishing reels will be exempt from this ban. Clearly the negative economic impact on the recreational fishing industry and tourism across Canada will be dramatic.
Minister Anderson began discussing the details of this proposed tackle ban with the World Wildlife Fund in June, 2000. Those of you who are familiar with the methods used by this organization in the successful Ontario campaign to ban spring bear hunting will recognize the similarities to the proposed fishing tackle ban. In the present example orphaned bear cubs have been replaced by the loon as the heartstring “poster child” for the campaign against recreational fishing.
Minister Anderson, Environment Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Service have proceeded with this agenda behind closed doors for years without ever contacting the fishing tackle industry – in spite of repeatedly promising to do so. CSIA letters to the Minister and Prime Minister Martin remain unanswered. Several Liberal MP’s suggested a meeting with CSIA to discuss this issue but they have not followed through on the commitment and calls from CSIA President Tom Brooke to Peterborough MP Peter Adams have not been returned.
The Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS ) has come under severe criticism by CSIA and members of the scientific community for compromising scientific standards in wildlife research and management. CWS has published selective data and made unsubstantiated claims that “lead sinker or jig ingestion is the single most important cause” of loon mortality in Canada. The basis for this conclusion turns out to be a sample size of less than six loons nationwide annually ( CWS has not revealed the exact number). In a hurried effort to salvage professional credibility and without holding any public discussion, CWS has announced it is about to release another “Discussion Paper” with “new research” on this issue by early May.
CSIA has recently released our own Discussion Paper on this issue and we are receiving very positive responses from biologists and members of the scientific community. Copies are available from head office.
A Canadian Wildlife Service spokesman has recently stated , “there is not an anti-fishing agenda” at this agency. The substantial evidence to the contrary clearly suggests that an anti-fishing agenda is exactly what we are facing. The CSIA position is that credible peer reviewed science, accountability and professional standards must be the basis for fish and wildlife policy and management at all natural resource agencies. Any compromise to these well established standards is unacceptable for our industry, for anglers, and for the welfare of fish and wildlife populations.
Forthright consultation by the federal government with our industry in advance of announcing policy decisions which will impact our business is a fair and reasonable expectation. Please feel free to explain this to your federal Member of Parliament.
Canadian
Sportfishing Industry Association,
427 Pido Road, Peterborough, Ontario K9J 6X7, Telephone: 877-822-8881, Fax:
705-742-4038, E-Mail: info@catchingfish.com
FISHING FACTS