Outdoor Notes : Wildlife Agencies Call for a Ban on Lead Shot by 1991

A group representing state fish and wildlife agencies recently passed a resolution calling for a ban on the use of lead shot by waterfowl hunters by 1991.

The group, the International Assn. of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, cites the poisoning each year of millions of waterfowl that have ingested spent lead shot. The group urges the phasing-in of the nontoxic alternative to lead shot, shells loaded with steel shot. Some hunting groups oppose steel shot, maintaining that it is lighter, carries less velocity than lead, and would therefore cripple more birds than lead shot does.

The National Wildlife Federation is seeking a court ban on lead shot by the 1987 season. The federation maintains that lead shot promotes the death of eagles that eat lead-poisoned waterfowl.

The vote of the International Assn. of Fish and Wildlife Agencies on the lead shot ban was 27-9. The California delegation was one of the nine state delegations voting against the resolution.

The Department of Fish and Game reminds state taxpayers that they can contribute to a program that funds endangered species projects by indicating a contribution on Line 90 of the state tax form.

Tax-deductible (federal, not state) contributions to Line 90 support projects such as the ongoing reintroduction of bald eagles to Catalina Island, which disappeared from the island 40 years ago.

In addition to the Catalina eagle project, Line 90 funds have been spent for dozens of other projects, including:

--The purchase of 70 acres of threatened habitat for peregrine falcons in Siskiyou County.

--The purchase of 387 acres in Imperial Valley and construction of fencing to help protect threatened desert tortoise habitat.

Although contributions are deductible on a taxpayer’s next year’s federal income tax return, legislation is still pending in Sacramento that would allow donations to be deductible on state returns as well.

The DFG says that U.S. border agents are cracking down on illegal importations of game fish at the U.S.-Mexico border.

DFG investigators believe that some U.S. citizens are obtaining illegally caught sport fish in Mexico, bringing them back to the U.S. and selling them here illegally.

Said game warden Carol Thompson of Brawley: “It’s getting out of hand. Some people are catching as much as 40 5-to-10-pound catfish, then coming back again the following week with another load the same size. How many friends and family members can eat 400 pounds of fish in a week, then need more the next week?”

Some of the fish, wardens say, have net marks on them, suggesting that they may have been illegally netted in Mexican waters.

Added Thompson: “Not long ago, illegal importation of fish from Mexico was an infrequent occurrence. But recently we are seeing people coming over (the border) with upwards of 100 catfish and largemouth bass loaded into commercial coolers.”

The DFG suggests that fishermen who haven’t bought fishing licenses yet do so soon, or at least before April, when some outlets may run short as the opening day of the Eastern Sierra trout season approaches. The Sierra trout season will open the last Saturday in April.

The Marina Del Rey Anglers’ Halibut Derby will be held April 12-13.