Lead Ban On All Fishing Tackle

[zarraspook]

I don't know or care how you feel about Cabela's .. But the word needs to get out FAST.....................

September 2, 2010

Dear Cabela's Customer:

Occasionally, an issue of such importance arises we feel it necessary to contact our loyal customers. With our fishing rights at stake, this is such an issue.

On August 23, 2010, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency was petitioned by the Center for Biological Diversity and others to ban lead from ammunition and fishing tackle, including sinkers, jigs, weighted fly lines and components containing lead, such as brass and ballast in lures, spinners, stick baits and other fishing products.

On August 27, the EPA denied the petition regarding ammunition, but let stand the petition to ban lead in fishing tackle and has opened a short period for taking public comment.

Such a ban would cause prices of fishing products to skyrocket. Alternative metals can cost from six to 15 times more than lead, and most do not perform as well. For many, fishing would no longer be the affordable sport it is now.

Please join Cabela's and Keep America Fishing in opposing this ban by submitting your comments to the EPA no later than September 15, 2010. You can easily do so by clicking here.

It is a fast and easy way to assure your opinion is heard.

Cabela's is working in conjunction with the American Sportfishing Association and Keep America Fishing to protect our tradition and heritage of fishing.

Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

Cabela's

[shockley32]

Do we still live in the land of the free??

[eric1978]

Sorry, but I would support a ban on lead. It's bad for the environment, period. And if you care about fishing, you should care about the environment. Yes, it would temporarily make pouring heads and tying some flies a little problematic, but someone somewhere would quickly create an alternative metal that won't lead to birth defects in California. Might be more expensive...too bad. Paying a little extra to keep our planet clean is worth it. So get on it and make yourself a millionaire...where's your entrepreneurial spirit Mr. America?

And yes, you're free shockley...but none of us should be free to pollute the world our kids have to grow up in.

[gotmuddy]

Sorry, but I would support a ban on lead. It's bad for the environment, period. And if you care about fishing, you should care about the environment. Yes, it would temporarily make pouring heads and tying some flies a little problematic, but someone somewhere would quickly create an alternative metal that won't lead to birth defects in California. Might be more expensive...too bad. Paying a little extra to keep our planet clean is worth it. So get on it and make yourself a millionaire...where's your entrepreneurial spirit Mr. America?

And yes, you're free shockley...but none of us should be free to pollute the world our kids have to grow up in.

I knew you would be quick to post for a lead ban. I pose this simple question eric......Where did this lead come from?

[eric1978]

Where did this lead come from?

Do you use the same rationale for the oil in the gulf? Think about it.

[gotmuddy]

Do you use the same rationale for the oil in the gulf? Think about it.

yes. Oil has become almost impossible to find in the gulf.

[eric1978]

yes. Oil has become almost impossible to find in the gulf.

Just because you can't see it doesn't mean it's not still there. It is estimated that there are still more than 50 million gallons floating around out there.

From New Republic:

"About one-quarter of the oil is still bobbing on the sea surface or washed ashore. Another quarter has been dispersed into microscopic droplets, either by artificial chemicals or natural processes. And another quarter has been "dissolved." All told, just 25 percent has been physically removed from the Gulf ecosystem. The rest is still lurking... somewhere. But what sorts of harm is that lingering oil doing? As the NOAA notes, answering that question will take time and a lot more research.

"Consider the "dissolved" oil. This crude didn't just vanish entirely—it's still mixed in with the water. A number of marine scientists have pointed out that dissolved oil can still poison the small organisms that underpin the Gulf's food chain. As The New York Times reported last week, "The effect on sea life of the large amounts of oil that dissolved below the surface is still a mystery."

Anyway, back to lead...just because it's mined from the earth doesn't mean it's okay to discard it anywhere. Plastic is made from petroleum...from the earth. You don't just throw your soda bottles in the river do you?

Don't get me wrong, I use lead, but that's mainly because there is no other alternative for many of the uses involved with fishing tackle. If there was, I'd use it, even if I had to pay more. Wouldn't you?

[Chief Grey Bear]

And so is plutonium and uranium. Try a spoonfull of one of those.

[fishinwrench]

Possibly just Cabela's subtle way of asking everyone to stockpile so they can reduce their current inventory of lead products.

The lead ban threat has been a controversy for over 20 years now....I find it almost impossible to get stressed out, or even concerned about it anymore.

[Trav]

Possibly just Cabela's subtle way of asking everyone to stockpile so they can reduce their current inventory of lead products.

The lead ban threat has been a controversy for over 20 years now....I find it almost impossible to get stressed out, or even concerned about it anymore.

This makes sense....