Waterbirds have died of lead poisoning from ingesting lead sinkers in the United States and Europe. Other tackle and litter has also caused injury and mortality to waterbirds. Despite risks posed to waterbirds, no studies of the abundance of tackle or litter in freshwater systems of the United States have been completed. We tested the effectiveness of a metal detector to search for lost and discarded tackle, and developed a technique to correct densities of sinkers. We then quantified tackle and litter abundance at various sites around the United States. Tackle and litter densities varied among sites, but were generally highest in heavily fished areas. Based on the distribution of tackle in light of known mortalities caused by ingestion of sinkers, restrictive management of lead poisoning from sinkers may not be justified. However, lead is a toxic substance and its continued use when nontoxic alternative are available is not logical.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:arizona.edu/oai:arizona.openrepository.com:10150/278698 |
| Date | January 1999 |
| Creators | Duerr, Adam Edward |
| Contributors | DeStefano, Stephen |
| Publisher | The University of Arizona. |
| Source Sets | University of Arizona |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text, Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. |
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