We support the removal of lead weights from our waterways. Most tackle shops offer lead free weights and we encourage you to avoid lead weights.

 

Fishing can have many environmental effects ranging from issues that involve the population of fish for catching, such as sustainability and over-fishing, as well as fisheries management. Other side issues, such as pollutants from lead weights, etc., involve the impact of fishing on the environment.

Green Fishing

Green fishing is a new term for an old concept: catch and release. While many anglers practice both catch and release as well as adding the fish we catch into our diet.

 

While we all enjoy fish in our diet, understanding the local fish population is important. Unlike land-based animals, it’s not possible to look into the water and see how many fish are present. Before cranking up the grill or barbecue, check local bait and tackle shops for stats on the local fish populations. Where stocks are low for any given species, be sure to release them so the population can grow.

 

Countless lakes, streams and even ocean habitats have been stripped of their fish population due to over population. Most local governments have a web presence warning of low fish stocks, when a fish species are out of season and any fish quotas.

Mercury Poisoning

For many years we have read reports about mercury poisoning and other contaminants in our lakes, rivers and oceans. These are no rumors and are indeed risks that we need to be aware of. For those of us that eat the fish we catch, we need to be aware of the toxic levels of the lakes, rivers and oceans in which we live as some are worse than others. Prolonged exposure to mercury can lead to blindness, hearing loss and joint pains to name a few.

 

For most people occasional consumption of fish and shellfish is not going to cause us any harm, however, if fish make up a large part of your diet, look into their mercury levels. The best place to start is your state or province’s local fish and wildlife department for mercury warnings or to contact the FDA.

Lead Poisoning

Another source of water contamination in our favorite fishing grounds comes from the lead weights used to catch our favorite fish. As with humans, lead weights are a toxin to fish and other wild life. Long exposure to these weights can cause a reduction to the fish and wildlife population and also pose a risk to those that eat fish caught in these poisoned ecosystems.

 

We support the removal of lead weights from our waterways. Most tackle shops offer lead free weights and we encourage you to avoid lead weights. Doing so will keep our ecosystems healthy and reduce the risk of lead poisoning from eating fish.

 

Commercial Fishing

Commercial fishing has come under attack for many years due to the methods used to catch fish in the open oceans. And while the US and Canada have moratoriums on the East coast habitats, other nations continue to fish in these areas despite the ban. Many many coastal towns, fishing provides not only an income, but sustains a way of life.

 

For many in the North American commercial fishing industry, fish stocks have never been as low as they are today. The Easy Coast of North America was once considered the best fishing grounds in the world and no one expected the stocks to deplete so quickly. The result has hurt many communities with some abandoning fishing altogether. When fishing coastal areas, be mindful of any bans, restrictions or moratoriums. Also keep in mind that many lakes and rivers many also have seasonal moratoriums as well as catch limits.