Silence on Maine’s Lakes

Lead poisoning is killing our waterbirds

Loons are a symbol of Maine Lakes.  Most lake residents and summer visitors delight to the haunting calls and the breath-taking visual of these beautiful, majestic and graceful creatures.  Many lake associations have a local loon counting program to monitor the health and viability of loon populations.   Of the many threats to loon populations, lead poisoning is the number one cause of death of adult loons in New England.  

This is Giant – the largest banded common loon chick in WA in 2007.  It was hoped that he and the mate he had been seen with on their home lake last year would return this year to start their family.  However, his band was returned this spring.  Giant was killed by lead poisoning from ingested fishing tackle. These stories are all too frequent throughout common loon range, including many Maine lakes. 

In Maine, both Megunticook Lake in Camden and Sebec Lake in Dover had loons that were taken to a bird rehabilitation center where they died of lead poisoning in the summer of 2007.  Many other lakes, including Sheepscot Lake in Palermo, Great Pond and Long Pond in Belgrade and several unidentified lakes in Kennebec County, have had documented cases of loon lead poisoning fatalities over the past five years.  Reported cases of lead poisoning do not begin to tell the whole story, however, since often sick loons will isolate themselves or be taken by predators, meaning that a high percentage of lead poisoned loons will never be found. 

 How is lead causing a problem? 

The issue of lead is an on-going problem for wildlife and water quality.  Though the state banned the sale of lead sinkers less than one half ounce in 2002, lead poisoning continues to be a problem.  All lead-based tackle is still legal for fishermen to use and lead-headed jigs are currently still legal to sell.  This means that we are still dumping an unacceptable amount of lead into our lakes.  When sinkers and jigs are lost by anglers, these items settle on the bottom of the lake, where they do not dissolve.  Loons and other waterfowl forage the bottom of lakes for gravel.  This gravel or “grit”, enables their gizzards to break down fish bones.  Lead sinkers and jig heads are ingested when they are mistaken by the birds for the grit they require.   Birds may also ingest lead when feeding on fish attached to lead fishing gear. 

Just one small sinker or jig head is enough to kill an adult loon.  The symptoms of lead poisoning are severe and fast.  In the case of the Megunticook and Sebec loons, both were disoriented, unable to fly and dive, struggling simply to remain upright.  Once loons start showing symptoms of lead poisoning, it is generally too late to reverse the process, even despite rehabilitator’s best efforts. 

 What can YOU do about it? 

These tragedies can be prevented.    Many people are dedicated to taking care of their lakes;  reducing lawn pesticides and fertilizer, planting buffers and covering exposed soil to reduce sediment and nutrient loading.  These actions are all critical for improving and maintaining the health of our state’s lakes.  However, if we and our neighbors are still using lead fishing tackle, we are adding a toxic substance to the water, which can be a death sentence for Maine’s loons, other waterfowl, and even the raptors, such as bald eagles, that may feed on these waterfowl.

The good news is that there are many non-toxic alternatives to lead fishing tackle.  More and more retail stores carry these alternatives and still more would be carried if we, the public, began to increase the demand for these products.  Your choices make a difference!  Check out some of these non-toxic alternatives at the following website: http://www.pca.state.mn.us/oea/reduce/sinkers.cfm

 Please, before you enjoy that next quiet morning of fishing out on your favorite lake, take a look through your tackle box.   Anything that you suspect may be lead-based, please remove, and remember that doing so may well save a life.  For information on what to do with unwanted lead tackle, please contact the District office at 474-8324 extension 3.