Exhibit 31.1
 RULE 13a-14(a)/15d-14(a) CERTIFICATIONS
  1.
    
    I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-K of Torch Energy Royalty Trust,
for which Wilmington Trust Company acts as Trustee;2.
    
    Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made,
in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading
with respect to the period covered by this report;3.
    
    Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition, distributable income and changes in trust corpus of the registrant
as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;4.
    
    I am responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and
procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 (e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal
control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and
15d-15(f)), or for causing such procedures to be established or maintained, for the
registrant and have:
 a)
    
    Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under my supervision, to ensure
that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated
subsidiaries, is made known to me by others within those entities, particularly
during the period in which this report is being prepared;b)
    
    Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such
internal control over financial reporting to be designed under my supervision, to
provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and
the preparation of financial statements for external purposes;c)
    
    Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrants disclosure controls and
procedures and presented in this annual report my conclusions about the
effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period
covered by this annual report based on such evaluation;d)
    
    Disclosed in this report any change in the registrants internal control
over financial reporting that occurred during the registrants most recent fiscal
quarter (the registrants fourth quarter in the case of an annual report) that has
materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrants
internal control over financial reporting; and
 5.
    
    I have disclosed, based on my most recent evaluation of internal control over
financial reporting, to the registrants auditors:
 a)
    
    All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or
operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely
to adversely affect the registrants ability to record, process, summarize and
report financial information; andb)
    
    Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves persons who have a
significant role in the registrants internal control over financial reporting.
  Date:  April 22, 2011
    By:
    /s/ Bruce L. BissonBruce L. BissonVice President

Wilmington Trust Company