歪歪漫画

Minnesota's state bird is under threat, not from predators, but a much smaller foe: lead tackle.

鈥淭he littlest hook can have a big impact on our ecosystems,鈥� said Katelyn Bergstrom, a Clean Water Specialist and Beltrami County Lakes and Rivers Association member. 鈥淟ike everything in nature and our ecosystems, everything's interconnected.鈥�

This small, seemingly insignificant piece of fishing gear is causing big problems for loons, leading to slow and painful deaths when ingested.

Courtesy / Biologist Luke Fara from USGS

According to the loons can easily mistake small pieces of lead for pebbles, which helps them digest their food.

鈥淟oons routinely swallow pea-sized pebbles on the bottom of lakes. The pebbles pass to the stomach and help in digestion. When fishing sinkers are lost during fishing and drop to the bottom of the lake, they can be picked up by loons or by waterfowl like ringneck ducks and trumpeter swans," the DNR website says. "As the lead sinker or jig is exposed to the acids of the stomach and to other pebbles, lead enters the bird's system and slowly poisons the bird.鈥�

A significant culprit of loon deaths is lead poisoning because it only takes one lead sinker to poison a loon, resulting in strange behaviors such as crash landings, little appetite, trembling and gasping.

Charley Gilbert / Bemidji Pioneer

According to the lead is toxic to wildlife and is found in most fishing tackle.

鈥淭he current national estimate is that 25% of adult common loon deaths are due to lead poisoning after ingesting lead fishing tackle," the MPCA website explains. "Once sickened with lead poisoning, loons suffer a slow and painful death. Lead also poisons raptors, swans and some mammals. 鈥�The reality is that most fishing tackle with any density to it, especially older tackle, contains lead, based on current and historic trends in the tackle industry.鈥�

The primary goal is to protect and maintain water quality in Beltrami County, however, many members of the association have made strides in protecting loon populations by promoting lead-free tackle.

鈥淚 think people don't know just how one little thing can have such a big impact,鈥� Bergstrom explained. 鈥淲e have the second highest population of loons in the United States. We should really want to help the loons and be aware of them.鈥�

She added that people are unaware of the consequences of lead tackle usage because of the lack of education and conversations about the topic.

鈥淓ducation is important because we don鈥檛 know everything yet and everyone can learn from one another when we start talking about it,鈥� Bergstrom said. 鈥淎t bait shops, unless tackle specifically says that it鈥檚 lead-free, it鈥檚 got lead in it. Some people don鈥檛 know that.鈥�

In addition to lead in the waters, such as rising lake temperatures and algal blooms.

Another significant struggle for the loon population is habitat loss which can make living and reproducing more difficult.

鈥淭hey have really specific habitat requirements and they can鈥檛 walk on land, making them dependent on their water habitat,鈥� Bergstrom said. 鈥淭hey want really deep, big, cool lakes. With pollution and climate change warming our waters, they have a difficult time. The hotter waters can lead to an increase in algal blooms which makes it difficult to eat because they are visual hunters and dive underwater to see their prey.鈥�

To combat this hurdle some members of the BCLARA have implemented artificial nesting platforms, temporary man-made nesting structures, to replace where natural habitat was previously.

Courtesy / Biologist Luke Fara from USGS

鈥淲e're involved with a loon project through the DNR where we're keeping track of loons,鈥� Long Lake (Northeast) Association President Jane Carlson said. 鈥淲e're doing a loon count and we're going to put up a loon nesting platform to help the loons have a safe place to nest."

Carlson has teamed up with several initiatives to preserve the loon populations and maintain water quality in the area, including the DNR, and

Through a partnership with the MPCA, the hosted a lead tackle collection, where at least five pounds of lead tackle was collected.

Carlson acknowledged the significant role state programs have in helping keep waters clean and give support for preserving wildlife, such as loon habitats.

鈥淚鈥檝e come to realize all of these programs that are out there and how much help is available for properties and lakes through the state system,鈥� Carlson said. 鈥淎nd how important it is for lakes to get involved with those programs and get help from the DNR.鈥�

Carlson urged people to join an association to get involved with keeping Minnesota waters clean and to meet new people.

鈥淭he association is a great way for people to meet their neighbors and keep our lakes clean,鈥� she added. 鈥淚 would encourage everyone to get involved for the social aspect of it and for the educational piece.鈥�

There are sustainable alternatives to lead-based tackle so people can continue to enjoy fishing without harming the loon population and other impacted species.

鈥淭ungsten, steel or glass are pretty common alternatives that are starting to become more popular,鈥� Bergstrom said. 鈥淏ut I hear from a lot of fishermen that it's still not in a really big portion of the stores. So it's important to go talk to your bait shops and express that you want those options available.鈥�

The MPCA has a running in Minnesota that offer lead-free bait, including

Charley Gilbert / Bemidji Pioneer

While it might take a bit more work to seek out alternatives, it's worth the work, and protecting the loons comes with its own set of perks.

鈥淭hey're a really good indicator of water quality because they have super specific habitat requirements and are so temperature-dependent,鈥� Bergstrom said. 鈥淚f you don't have a lot of loons on your lake and in previous years you had a lot, that could be an indication that maybe something else underneath the surface is going on with your water quality. It鈥檚 almost like they are saying 'We share this lake and we are letting you know which lake is good and which one needs work,' which is a cool relationship that we get to have with them.鈥�

She emphasized that by keeping water clean and using sustainable bait, folks can continue to enjoy the great outdoors and preserve the local ecosystems for years to come.

鈥淟oons are such an important species to us as Minnesotans and to Indigenous cultures,鈥� Bergstrom left off. 鈥淭hey're seen as a symbol of wisdom and they're just such a beautiful, powerful bird that Minnesotans have such a connection with, so we need to do what we can to protect them.鈥�

Courtesy / Biologist Luke Fara from USGS