By John Punola
SULLIVAN COUNTY – The U.S. Park Service, in Washington, D.C., released a press release announcing a ban on lead in fishing equipment that would be used when fishing in U.S. National Parks waters. This means that fishing items such as shad darts, lead sinkers and maybe batteries used in electric motors would be illegal.
The ban would affect the Delaware River beginning at the Delaware Water Gap, and extending upstream. This part of the river is the prime waters for spawning of American Shad. Obviously, this ban would hurt shad anglers the most. Dozens of miles of water in the Upper Delaware River is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Park Service, and the ban would have an immediate effect on fishermen and the sporting goods shops along or near the Delaware River in N.Y., N.J. and Pa.
The Park Service policy announcement, issued via a press release, does not explain how this decision was reached, and why it is necessary for this new rule to be implemented. There has been no previous proposed rule, nor the opportunity for public hearing and comment.
The American Sportfishing Association quickly requested the National Park Service (NPS) withdraw this proposal and discuss the rationale for it with the appropriate stakeholders (you and I) before taking any further action.
In its reply to American Sportfishing Association, the NPS said “Visitors and wildlife have something to cheer about regarding the agency’s stepped up efforts to reduce lead in national parks environments.”
“Further, our goal is to eliminate the use of lead ammunition and lead fishing tackle in parks,” NPS Acting Director Dan Wenk said. “We want to take a leadership role in removing lead from the environment.”
This obviously means the NPS has no intention of listening to the public, they re going to do it their way. The NPS has never been popular in the Upper Delaware River region.
Update from U.S. Park Service
In response to an outpouring of public protest, the United States Park Service (USPS) issued the following clarifying statements.
On March 10, 2009, the National Park Service issued a press release entitled “National Park Service gets the lead out”. Due to some confusion over its contents, the agency provides the following clarifying statements.
1. Nothing has changed for the public. We are simply announcing the NPS goal of eliminating lead from NPS activities to protect human and wildlife health.
2. We will work to clean our own house by altering NPS resource management activities. In 2009, we will transition to non-lead ammo in culling operations and dispatching sick or wounded animals.
3. In the future we will look at the potential for transitioning to non-lead fishing tackle for recreational use by working with our policy office and appropriate stakeholders/ groups. This will require public involvement, comment and review.
Pay particular note of item number 3 and let’s watch for the NPS to make announcement of public hearing regarding the lead ban.