K
Kevan Farmer
Guest
I have finally received the long awaited e-mail about the news item. Here it is in full:
Hi Kevin.
I am sorry you were unhappy about my report on lead poisoning in Swans,
and
apologise for taking nearly two weeks to respond to your complaint.
The report was based on a study being carried out by the Swan Rescue
Centre
at Driotwich, which, along with other rescue centres across the country,
is
compiling new statistics for the Environment Agency.
The lunchtime edition focused on the Swan Rescue Centre's most recent
work
on this. They had recovered Swans suffering from lead poisoning, and the
lead had been identified as that from Angling because of the way it
breaks
down in the birds digestive system. Nonetheless, I did make efforts to
include an Angling point of view, but unfortunately, the Birmingham
Anglers
Association were unable to help. This was in spite of our offer to visit
any
one of their members wherever they were in the Midlands.
As an alternative, I contacted a local fishing supplier and keen angler.
He
kindly agreed to participate, but unfortunately, by then it was too late
to
include him in our lunchtime edition. His views were broadcast later
though,
and included the ban on lead weights, the type of lead that can be used,
and
the view that the shooting fraternity may be responsible for much of the
Swan poisoning.
As a backdrop to this though, the fact is that Swans are still dying
from
lead shot used by anglers. This is substantiated by official Environment
Agency information. A summary of their most recent data states:
* the restrictions on lead fishing weights imposed in 1987 has
significantly
reduced the frequency of lead poisoning in mute Swans. However, there
are
still some local incidences of lead poisoning which are being
investigated
further.
* tackle-related injuries are the biggest single cause of Swan rescues.
I hope I have answered your complaint and hope you appreciate that in a
one-minute fifteen-second news report, it is only possible to cover the
key
issues.
Kevin Reide
Broadcast Journalist
BBC Midlands Today
So there you go. According to this guy it was the Environment Agency who gave him the statistics about swans and lead poisoning. Thank you EA!
I have replied, thanking him for being so open about the item and have asked if I could have a contact in the EA who gave him the statistical info'. I don't know whether he will be able to furnish me with a name as confidentiality may come into it. We shall see. I did point out that if a swan has been found dead then it is a simple matter to find out if it has died due to angler's lead shot. I mentioned the fact of shot being either split, in which case it is angler's, or if it is whole then it must be from a spent shotgun cartridge.
Perhaps next time he will strive to give a more balanced view whatever time the report goes out.
Kevan
Hi Kevin.
I am sorry you were unhappy about my report on lead poisoning in Swans,
and
apologise for taking nearly two weeks to respond to your complaint.
The report was based on a study being carried out by the Swan Rescue
Centre
at Driotwich, which, along with other rescue centres across the country,
is
compiling new statistics for the Environment Agency.
The lunchtime edition focused on the Swan Rescue Centre's most recent
work
on this. They had recovered Swans suffering from lead poisoning, and the
lead had been identified as that from Angling because of the way it
breaks
down in the birds digestive system. Nonetheless, I did make efforts to
include an Angling point of view, but unfortunately, the Birmingham
Anglers
Association were unable to help. This was in spite of our offer to visit
any
one of their members wherever they were in the Midlands.
As an alternative, I contacted a local fishing supplier and keen angler.
He
kindly agreed to participate, but unfortunately, by then it was too late
to
include him in our lunchtime edition. His views were broadcast later
though,
and included the ban on lead weights, the type of lead that can be used,
and
the view that the shooting fraternity may be responsible for much of the
Swan poisoning.
As a backdrop to this though, the fact is that Swans are still dying
from
lead shot used by anglers. This is substantiated by official Environment
Agency information. A summary of their most recent data states:
* the restrictions on lead fishing weights imposed in 1987 has
significantly
reduced the frequency of lead poisoning in mute Swans. However, there
are
still some local incidences of lead poisoning which are being
investigated
further.
* tackle-related injuries are the biggest single cause of Swan rescues.
I hope I have answered your complaint and hope you appreciate that in a
one-minute fifteen-second news report, it is only possible to cover the
key
issues.
Kevin Reide
Broadcast Journalist
BBC Midlands Today
So there you go. According to this guy it was the Environment Agency who gave him the statistics about swans and lead poisoning. Thank you EA!
I have replied, thanking him for being so open about the item and have asked if I could have a contact in the EA who gave him the statistical info'. I don't know whether he will be able to furnish me with a name as confidentiality may come into it. We shall see. I did point out that if a swan has been found dead then it is a simple matter to find out if it has died due to angler's lead shot. I mentioned the fact of shot being either split, in which case it is angler's, or if it is whole then it must be from a spent shotgun cartridge.
Perhaps next time he will strive to give a more balanced view whatever time the report goes out.
Kevan