This has been a great team effort. The Loon Preservation Committee (LPC), NH Lakes Association (NH LAKES), and NH Audubon have worked closely together in support of SB 89.
The NH House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 89 on May 22 by a vote of 225-142—a convincing margin. Meanwhile, efforts to unreasonably delay the bill's implementation (for six years) and to kill the bill (by tabling it) were defeated by equally comfortable margins. For information that responds to the arguments by opponents of the bill, please see our Frequently Asked Questions page by clicking
here.
SB 89 will protect our state’s loon population by prohibiting the use and sale of toxic lead fishing sinkers and jigs weighing one ounce or less—the largest known cause of New Hampshire adult loon mortality.
Loons do not reproduce until their sixth year of life or later, and loon pairs have an average of only one surviving chick every two years in New Hampshire. Therefore, survival of adult loons is the most important factor in assuring the continued viability of our state’s loon population. Unfortunately, New Hampshire lost 124 adult loons to ingested lead sinkers and jigs between 1989 and 2011. These deaths have had a large negative impact on our state’s small loon population.
Thank you to all of you who have played a crucial role in securing our legislative victories for loons this year.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION http://www.loonbill.org/
