Lead ban being expanded - unless you stop it

[dlovato]

You have until Aug 3, 2009 to send in comments on this... This isn't he "original lead ban" - it's an extension of it....

http://www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/new/2009/311_1ntc.pdf

- Darryl

 

[dlovato]

Here's what I sent to The Fish & Game commission... (fgc@fgc.ca.gov)

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Dear Fish & Game Commission,

I recently heard that there was a proposed extension to the lead ban in "condor territory".

While I have nothing against the California Condor, approving this extension (small game and upland birds options) will further the harm the commission has already done to hunters with the original lead ban.

I have yet to see a single report that a SINGLE Condor has died of lead poisoning. Even from eating big game.

For small game and upland birds, it's even less likely for a condor to die from lead poison.

If the F&G commission wants to enact a law to help save the Condor, please outlaw removing dead whale carcasses from any beach - including tourist beaches. Dead whales are one of the primary sources of food for the Condor, and "humans" simply want to bury them in landfills, vs having them "stink up" a beach. Rotting whales being eaten by Condors is "bad" for tourism". Plus - dead whales are lead-free...

If this proposal is enacted, not only will it do nothing to save the condors (which are probably in-bred to the point that it's a lost cause anyway, and we've spent over $100,000 on each remaining bird), but will further infuriate hunters even more than they are, which, as you know, "sportsmen" bring in a significant amount of revenue for wildlife in CA.

Requesting that hunters in Condor areas use non-lead is reasonable. I wouldn't go any further than that. Making it a law just might cause a revolt that you'll never recover from.

- Darryl