QUESTION: Could you provide me with information detailing the current restrictions on lead ammunition in Australia? - 31 Oct 2007 Idaho, USA

The Peregrine Fund is holding a conference in May 2008 about the health implications of spent lead ammunition in Humans and Wildlife. I am compiling information about the regulations and bans around the world regarding lead ammunition. Could you provide me with information detailing the current restrictions on lead ammunition in Australia?

Regards, Dominique Avery

Second Conference Announcement and Call for Papers

Ingestion of spent lead ammunition: Implications for wildlife and humans.

Convened by The Peregrine Fund

12-15 May 2008

At Boise State University, Boise, Idaho, USA

The goal of the conference is to promote a better understanding of ingested spent lead ammunition as a source of lead exposure and to reduce its effect on wildlife and humans.

For details, visit: http://www.peregrinefund.org/subsites/conference-lead/

Register now. Early registration discount ends 1 March 2008

Submit your papers and posters now. Abstract deadline 1 March 2008.

For a flyer to post on bulletin boards, visit: http://www.peregrinefund.org/subsites/conference-lead/Flyer%20March08.pdf

Or contact: The Peregrine Fund

5668 West Flying Hawk Lane

Boise, Idaho 83709

Tel: (208)-362-3716

E-mail

Please forward this announcement to others who may be interested. Thank you.

Searchable Bibliography is now available: The Peregrine Fund is compiling a comprehensive selection of articles on lead in wildlife and humans. The searchable bibliography is available at http://www.peregrinefund.org/subsites/conference-lead/2008PbConf_Background.htm This is a work in progress and we are lacking references on the effects of lead on human health. If you know of any resources that should be added to the database please contact Dominique Avery with details.

Lead ammunition in the News: California legislature approved a bill to ban the use of lead ammunition within the range of the California population of condors. Visit California Votes to Protect Endangered Condors by Banning Lead Ammunition for full details.

In other recent news, a complete ban of lead ammunition for public hunting on both Fort Hunter Liggett and Camp Roberts military bases is being phased in. Visit http://projectgutpile.blogspot.com/2007/05/camp-roberts-hunting-program-is-going.html for full details. Tejon Ranch has announced a lead ammunition ban that will go into effect with the 2008 hunting season. Go to their website http://tejonranch.com/press-release/taking-the-lead-on-lead/ to read the full story.

Dominique Avery

Assistant to the International Programs Director

The Peregrine Fund

5668 West Flying Hawk Lane

Boise, ID 83709

(208) 362-8266

www.peregrinefund.org

ANSWER: 05 Jun 2009

Dear Dominique,

I realize that we are way too late to provide this information in time for  your conference but we simply did not have enough volunteers at the time you  wrote to research and answer all the inquiries and we have one volunteer now  so we're trying to catch up on all the old emails.

Please find attached a Letter regarding moves to ban lead in shot and  fishing sinkers by The Australian Government, from our federal environment  department, which states (in part) that:

To date, State and Territory governments have largely been responsible for  restricting or banning of the use of lead shot in Australia. Where outright  bans on the use of lead shot have not been introduced, as an alternative,  restrictions on the use of lead shot have been implemented in areas of  Australia where lead poisoning of wildlife is known to occur, or high lead  densities have been recorded. This has been the case in the Northern  Territory, where the NT Conservation Commission banned the use of lead shot  at hunting reserves.

The following actions have been taken by State and Territory governments to limit the amount of spent lead shot accumulating in waterways:

• ACT: hunting of native wildlife banned.

• WA: recreational duck and quail hunting banned.

• SA: use of lead shot banned.

• NT: use of lead shot banned in hunting reserves (Lambells Lagoon, Howard Springs, Shoal Bay Coastal Reserve and Harrison Dam Hunting Reserve).

• QLD: Use of lead shot for duck hunting banned. This ban has recently been extended to include waterfowl hunting and will come into force at the beginning of the next hunting season.

• TAS: Use of lead shot banned on public wetlands and Crown Land starting from the beginning of the 2005 hunting season.

• NSW: Recreational duck hunting banned.

• VIC: The use of lead shot for duck hunting is banned.

In addition to these regulations on the use of lead shot, steel shot has  been widely available in Australia for more than two decades. According to  statistics provided by the Lead Development Association International, only  2% of lead consumption by end-use is used to produce lead shot. Shooters  have, mostly voluntarily and partially due to State and Territory government  regulations, substituted lead shot for less toxic alternatives (such as  steel or bismuth shot).

[END OF EXTRACT OF LETTER]

Again, my apologies for the delay and I hope your conference went really  well.

Yours Sincerely

Elizabeth O’Brien