If you’re an avid or budding fisherman, one thing you can do to help wildlife when you fish is to use non-toxic tackle. Lead is a toxic metal, and many types of fishing tackle are made with solid lead; when the pieces get separated from a broken line, waterfowl like loons, swans and other birds often eat them. Fish who ingest lead are eaten by larger birds (like eagles), who then get lead poisoning from the tainted fish. When shopping for sinkers, jigs and other tackle, look for inert materials like tin, steel and nickel alloy. You can find them at any sporting goods store and online.
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