I don't see the lead in fishing thing at all. But the line - the amount of plastic line out there is boggling. I don't know what's effect is on wildlife demographics, but I sure find it being a problem far more often than lead sinkers.
I used to think the same thing, and in most places I suspect you are correct. I have changed my mind on the impact of lead fishing tackle in locations where fishing pressure is extreme or where snagging is legal.
I had heard about snagging for Kokanee in a handful of waters in western Montana, but was not particularly interested in giving it a try mainly since it occurs during the fall hunting season and I had other priorities. Three falls ago I was talked into heading up to a waterfall on a river near me that has a good run of fairly large kokanee. The river below the falls is fast and full of large boulders.
On my first trip there I could see tons of orange flagging caught amongst the rocks and all over the bottom of the river. Most people snagging here would tie flagging tape to their snagging hooks so that they can see their hooks in the water.
I decided to come back up a few days later with my wetsuit and snorkeling gear and see if I could retrieve some of the hooks. In my first 20 minute swim, I retrieved what is on the rocks in the first pic below.
Over the past few Octobers I have been back up and made 5-6 20-30 minute dives. I can't stay in much longer than that as the water is very cold that time of year. So far I have recovered over 1000 snagging hooks and many dozens of other lures and tackle. The area I am swimming in is probably 20 by 40 yards as that is the only area I feel safe swimming in the fast current and there are more small waterfalls just below.
Im really only getting a small fraction of the tackle as there are pockets between the boulders filled with hundreds of hooks and line. I don't feel safe diving down and shoving my arm into those spots with the potential for getting myself snagged and trapped underwater. I can also see tons of more further out in the river where I won't go. It can be a bit gross as there are also lots of dead and rotting kokanee and rainbow trout caught up in the hooks and line steaming from them all over the river. I can also fill up a garbage bag each time from the trash I find on the banks as well.
Two dives worth from October 2021
From two swims last fall:
I've also wandered around in some very popular salmon fishing spots in Alaska during low water. It wasn't quite as bad as my Montana spot, but there was still a ton of lead tackle in the water.
Oh...anyone in the market for some snagging hooks?