A new bill under consideration by the Maine legislature threatens the future of fishing in the state. Titled “An Act to Require Biodegradable Hooks and Lures for Freshwater Fishing,” this new bill would ban all hooks, and all lures containing plastic or rubber, by the year 2024 unless they are biodegradable.

Therefore, likely every hook and lure in your tackle box would become illegal.

Biodegradable hooks simply do not exist. Any biodegradable materials would lack the tensile strength required and would rust quickly.

Additionally, requiring all plastic and rubber in lures to be biodegradable is unwarranted and would be a huge burden on anglers.

It’s not just the fishing industry that says so. In 2014, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife published a comprehensive study on the use of rubber lures and non-biodegradable fishing hooks and lures. No evidence was found that would support a ban on non-biodegradable hooks and lures. In fact, the report concluded: “(r)equiring the sale and use of only biodegradable SPLs (soft plastic lures) is currently not a solution,” and “the Department does not recommend any legislation at this time.”

Maine is home to more than 264,000 recreational anglers, and according to Keep America Fishing, recreational fishing in Maine contributes $512 million annually to the state’s economy and supports more than 4,400 jobs. All would be put at risk if this bill were to become law.

Keep America Fishing is leading the fight on this issue, and FLW is joining in. If you live in Maine, you can join the fight too. Click here to visit the Keep America Fishing Action Center to contact your state legislators today and urge them to oppose this de facto ban on fishing.