When project leader Mike Browne was looking for a Boy Scout Eagle project, he remembered a conversation he had with his dad while on a fishing trip. He asked "what happens to all the lead weights we lose while fishing?" His dad didn’t know and told him to do some research. What Browne found both shocked and saddened him. The biggest toll lost lead weights have is on our waterfowl and raptors. He did a lot of research, brainstormed possible solutions with adult leaders from his Boy Scout Troop, other Scouts and Eagle Scout advisors. Browne determined that the best way to end the threat of lead to our waterfowl was to keep the lead out of the waterways. He knew if he could teach anglers about making choices that are environmentally friendly, he could make a real difference. He assembled a team of Scouts from St. Agatha's Troop 5 to help educate anglers and the general public about this little-known problem. He went to fishing derbies, educating anglers and actually getting the lead out of their tackle boxes, exchanging their lead weights for non-lead, environmentally safe alternatives.

The initial goals of the project were; to educate 500 anglers on the dangers of lead in recreational fishing, and to safely remove from use 40 pounds of lead in recreational fishing. But, as the project went on, we began to accomplish much more than expected.

Each time we went to a fishing derby to do an exchange of lead weights for environmentally friendly ones, we got the same response. Everywhere, fishermen were shocked to learn that their favorite sport was killing large numbers of birds! They knew lead was a toxic metal, but they said they never really thought about what happened to it when they lost a sinker. After learning the truth, every angler was open to the idea of switching to environmentally friendly weights, ones that if swallowed, would not harm the birds. Every angler we talked to stated that they would no longer buy lead weights, and would only buy ones made from tin, bismuth, steel, ceramic, and other environmentally friendly alternatives. It was then we realized that education is the most important component of Get the Lead out of Fishing.

We cannot possibly meet every angler at every fishing hole.  Nor can we attend every fishing event. So we need to educate anglers BEFORE they make their next purchase of fishing weights and jigs. To get the story out, Get the Lead Out of Fishing launched an ambitious public relations campaign. We called and emailed reporters to let them know about upcoming events and educated them on the dangers of lead so they could feature the information in their stories. We worked with partners such as TURI (Toxic Use Reduction Institute at UMass - Lowell) and the EPA and used their media contacts. We went to alternative locations such as the Green Expo sponsored by the EPA to reach an even wider audience. Get the Lead Out of Fishing has a simple message. Lead in fishing is a big problem with a simple solution: choose unleaded when you shop at your local retailer. We initially set out to reach 500 anglers. To date, we have reached tens (and maybe hundreds) of thousands of anglers through our stories in newspapers, magazines, the web and on television! We have a web site (www.replacelead.com) to make it easy for everyone to get the facts and start their own lead weight exchange and awareness program.

The future of this project is educating more people on a national scale. We want to take our grant money and create more public awareness through print, radio, internet and television. Team leader Mike Browne is exploring potential partnerships with various agencies including the EPA to expand the educational outreach.

This is a big problem with a simple solution!
Ask for – and buy – environmentally friendly weights at your fishing tackle retailer.

Partner Statement

"Get the Lead Out of Fishing" exemplifies the type of personal stewardship of natural resources upon which the League was founded. In fact, the League formed in 1922 when 54 anglers banded together to protect their favorite fishing waters. The League's Outdoor Ethics program, like this project, encourages anglers and other outdoor recreationists to practice ethical outdoor behavior. Our 300 chapters across the country sponsor fishing derbies and work with scout troops, making them excellent candidates for an expanded "Get the Lead Out of Fishing" project. We look forward to working with the St. Agatha's Troop 5 Boy Scouts group to promote their project to our members and the public.