Coming soon to you???? Proposed Maine law would ban ALL non-biodegradable fishing hooks and lures in freshwater!!!

[Roccus7]

Here's a copy of proposed law ME SP208, talk about inane!! Surprised fishing line wasn't included too. BTW a Class E Misdemeanor, is the same level as prostitution and is punishable by up to 6 months in the county jail and fines up to $1000!!!

Think this through! No stainless hooks or fittings (OK for freshwater I guess), no PLASTICS, SYNTHETIC FLY MATERIALS, RUBBER WORMS, etc. We're back to wooden plugs. Not sure where this is coming from, PETA or the Loon Lovers, but this is just NUTS!!

An Act To Require Biodegradable Hooks and Lures for Freshwater Fishing

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §10001, sub-§8-A is enacted to read:

8-A. Biodegradable. "Biodegradable," with regard to a material, means that the material will undergo degradation by biological processes when exposed to ordinary environmental conditions to yield carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds and biomass at a rate consistent with other materials that undergo degradation by biological processes and will leave no visible, distinguishable or toxic residue.


Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §12665 is enacted to read:

§ 12665. Unlawful use of nonbiodegradable hooks or artificial lures

Beginning January 1, 2024, a person may not fish in inland waters using a hook or an artificial lure unless the hook is composed wholly of biodegradable materials and those rubber or plastic portions of the artificial lure are composed wholly of biodegradable materials. A person who violates this section commits a Class E crime.

SUMMARY

Beginning January 1, 2024, this bill prohibits fishing in inland waters using nonbiodegradable hooks or certain nonbiodegradable artificial lures. A person who violates this prohibition commits a Class E crime.

 

[Old Mud]

Ha Ha An Enviro's dream for sure. Wer'e all going to be Tuna fishing with Rubber hooks . Guess there would be no need for Florocarbon leaders.

Ok now this may just be the loophole. " 8-A. Biodegradable. "Biodegradable," with regard to a material, means that the material will undergo degradation by biological processes when exposed to ordinary environmental conditions to yield carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds and biomass at a rate consistent with other materials that undergo degradation by biological processes and will leave no visible, distinguishable or toxic residue. " Could this be the old Super Mutu Steel xxxx hooks ? The old Jap hooks even quicker even though they were heavier. Leave them in the water or a fishes jaw and the will degrade.

WTF (thats a Who) drafts and approves these numb bills ?? I'll take the " same level as prostitution and is punishable by up to 6 months in the county jail " Anyway thanks for the heads up Dom, I'm busy right now but will look up ME SP208 later. I can just hear the banter down at the Statehouse, "(hey, while everyone has their panties in a bunch about the Wall, i think we can run this right through").

 

[Roccus7]

Ha Ha An Enviro's dream for sure. Wer'e all going to be Tuna fishing with Rubber hooks . Guess there would be no need for Florocarbon leaders.

Ok now this may just be the loophole. " 8-A. Biodegradable. "Biodegradable," with regard to a material, means that the material will undergo degradation by biological processes when exposed to ordinary environmental conditions to yield carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds and biomass at a rate consistent with other materials that undergo degradation by biological processes and will leave no visible, distinguishable or toxic residue. " Could this be the old Super Mutu Steel xxxx hooks ? The old Jap hooks even quicker even though they were heavier. Leave them in the water or a fishes jaw and the will degrade.

WTF (thats a Who) drafts and approves these numb bills ?? I'll take the " same level as prostitution and is punishable by up to 6 months in the county jail " Anyway thanks for the heads up Dom, I'm busy right now but will look up ME SP208 later. I can just hear the banter down at the Statehouse, "(hey, while everyone has their panties in a bunch about the Wall, i think we can run this right through").

It's freshwater, but still, the rivers do run out into the oceans "eventually"....

 

[Chevy1]

I have to double check but I think our only freshwater ban is on lead

 

[george]

These laws/regs are popping up all over the country.

 

[pequa1]

OMG and I have like a dozen pints of unopened Gulp ! Maybe I should put them up on Craig's List before its too late ?

 

[Roccus7]

I'm trying to find out which "Nut Case Cabal" is behind this.

The wording is so, so poor. They imply that it's OK for hooks to rust, but that conversion to "inorganic compounds" is mediated solely through "environmental" conditions, not "biological". It's amazing how much legislation is crafted by clueless people. I'm pretty sure the Inland Fishery and Wildlife folks are just as appalled.

Regardless I immediately wrote to my state Senator and gave him a piece of my mind...

 

[buddha162]

I have to say...it's not surprising. If you throw a plastic wrapper into the lake people will hit the roof, but no one thinks twice about losing a plastic worm, or having their keitech tails bitten off. Nose-hooked dropshots are the worst culprit...I went through a dozen shad-shape worms for 4 smallies in one hour last summer.

The lakers at RV are stuffed with senkos, jelly worms, old tubes...all bloated to 3x the size inside their stomachs. There are a few photos floating around online of bass plugged up with soft plastics.

As an aside...if such a law ever passes, I'll be very interested to see what the lure manufacturers come up with to fill the void, esp the JDM companies. I can see some 4" jointed finesse "worms" made from ABS...titanium through-wired...costing 25 bucks a pop lol.

 

[buddha162]

OMG and I have like a dozen pints of unopened Gulp ! Maybe I should put them up on Craig's List before its too late ?

Gulp would be the ONLY "soft plastic" you'll be allowed to use if this law passes.

 

[pequa1]

Bill Witchey at Comb's Tackle experimented by leaving a Gulp on the counter one summer. Although it was worse for wear, it was still there. (I like rhymes lol) But isn't Gulp supposedly biodegradable ?

 

[buddha162]

Bill Witchey at Comb's Tackle experimented by leaving a Gulp on the counter one summer. Although it was worse for wear, it was still there. (I like rhymes lol) But isn't Gulp supposedly biodegradable ?

It should've dried out and shrunk to an 8th of its former size, and IIRC the time it takes to "break down" is 2 years. That's vs centuries for most plastics (and there is no plastic in gulp, zero).

 

[pequa1]

He hates Gulp so maybe he was watering it LOL. (Since I haven't bought anything but a chum log and tub of clam bellies in the last ten years I guess I shouldn't be surprised at his hatred !)