Released, Wednesday, May 5, 2004

ALBANY, NY - Hundreds of loons, herons, egrets, geese and other waterfowl will survive their summer nesting season in the Adirondacks this year because of a state law that takes effect this weekend banning the sale of small lead fishing sinkers, the legislative sponsors said today. They were flanked by representatives of supportive environmental organizations that protect birds and the Adirondack Park.

The groups were gathering to celebrate the impending ban on the sale of small lead sinkers, which goes into effect Friday, May 7. The ban comes just one day before International Migratory Bird Day on Saturday. The ban will help to protect 27 species of migratory birds that make their summer homes in the Adirondacks and other areas of the state.

Senator Carl R. Marcellino, R-Syosset, and Assemblyman Steven Englebright, D-Setauket, joined the Adirondack Council, Audubon New York, the Adirondack Cooperative Loon Program and others at a press conference today to explain why the ban was needed and why public education is still a high priority.

"It is gratifying to see this bill become law," said Assembly sponsor Englebright. "Its impact will be noticeable immediately."

"Birds from Long Island to the Canadian border will benefit from this law when it goes into effect Saturday," said Senate sponsor Marcellino. "We hope that other states will follow our example."

"The smallest lead sinkers, those of one-half ounce or less, are very dangerous to waterfowl," said Adirondack Council Legislative Director Scott M. Lorey. "Birds eat them accidentally because they look like the pebbles that birds swallow to aid in their digestion. But they are deadly to 27 distinct species of water birds."

"Banning the sale of lead sinkers will save many loons and other waterbirds from swallowing them and dying of lead poisoning. However, humans will benefit greatly from the warning the loons have given us about the toxicity of lead sinkers," said State Wildlife Pathologist Ward B. Stone. "The use of non-toxic sinkers will result in fewer people (especially children) from taking the carcinogen and highly toxic lead into their bodies when handling and biting sinkers onto fishing line. The use of non-toxic substances in the manufacture of fishing sinkers will prevent workers from being lead-poisoned. Both birds and people gain from the ban."

The organizations praised the Legislative sponsors and Gov. George E. Pataki, who signed the bill into law in May of 2001. The sponsors agreed to a two-year delay in the effective date of the legislation to give small tackle shop owners an opportunity to change their stock. The delay also provided the organizations with an opportunity to educate the public on the impending ban. They also explained how anglers can exchange leftover lead sinkers for new, non-lead alternatives.

"This is just one more example of Governor George E. Pataki and the New York State Legislature working together to protect birds, other wildlife and their habitats," said David J. Miller, Executive Director of Audubon New York. "This initiative will prove immeasurably important to all waterfowl, but most of all to the loons of New York, which are especially susceptible to lead poisoning from split shot sinkers."

The ban on the sale of lead sinkers ½ ounce or less includes all sales, including catalog and internet orders between out-of-state tackle companies and consumers in New York.

"This is a critical step in decreasing the availability of lead sinkers, which is expected to reduce mortality in loons and many other wildlife species due to lead toxicity from fishing tackle ingestion." said Dr. Nina Schoch, Coordinator for the Adirondack Cooperative Loon Program (ACLP). "ACLP's lead sinker exchange project throughout the Adirondack Park is an ongoing public education effort that complements this law, by introducing anglers to non-toxic sinker alternatives which are increasingly available."

"The New York State Conservation Council is pleased to work with Audubon, the Adirondack Council and others to achieve a reduction in the use of lead sinkers that harm Loons and other waterfowl," said Wally John Executive Chairman of Legislative and Policy Affairs for the New York State Conservation Council, Inc.. "We believe that it was through our efforts that anglers across the state decided to support this measure."

Loons have been adopted as the symbol of the Adirondack Park and its vast undisturbed wilderness areas. Loons live on the water's edge and are easily driven away by the presence of people or motorboats. More than one million acres of the Adirondack Park is classified as wilderness, where roads, motorized travel and permanent structures are banned.

The ACLP's 2003 loon census found 472 loons on 124 lakes (379 adults, 82 chicks and 11 juveniles) in the Adirondacks.

For more information, contact:

Audubon New York
Sean Mahar
518-869-9731 (w)

Adirondack Council
John F. Sheehan
518-432-1770 (w)
518-441-1340 (cell)
518-489-4186 (home)

Adirondack Cooperative Loon Program
Dr. Nina Schoch
518-891-8836

NYS Wildlife Pathologist
Ward B. Stone, B.A., M.S., Sc. D. (Hon.)
(518) 478-3032

New York State Conservation Council
Wally John
518-426-8232