The Sun.
London, England, 1865-01-16 00:00:00

The Salmon Fisheries of the West,

An important and influential meeting of landed
proprietors, conservators, and others interested in
the salmon fisheries of the western counties was

held at the Guildhall, at Exeter, on Friday after-
noon, under the presidency of the Right Worshipful
the Mayor of that city (Mr. R. T. Head), The
meeting was convened for the purpose of consider-
ing the provisions of the bill proposed to be intro-
duced in the ensuing session by the Government for
the purpose of amending the Salmon Fisheries Act

of 1861, and of giving increased powers to those
appointed to aid in the restoration of the salmon
rivers in thig kingdom.
Mr. Ffennell, the Inspector of Salmon Fisheries,

attended, for the purpose of explaining the chief

provisions of the bill, and to hear any suggestions

with reference to the modification or additions

which might be proposed.
The meetingwas numerously attended, and among
those present were—Earl Fortescue, Sir 11. F.
Davie, M.P., Mr. S. T. Kekewich, M.P., Mr. T.
Michelmore (agent for the Duke of Somerset), Mr.

J. H. Kennaway, Capt. Edwards, Capt. Whyte,
R.N., Mr. Pinkett, Mr. W. F. Collier, Mr. T. M.

Snow, J. M. Sillifant, Mr. R. Sanders, Messrs. J.

and H. Michelmore, Mr. H. Drew (agent for the

Hon. Mark Rolle), Mr. Bassett, &c.
Mr. FFENNELL, at the request of the Mayor,
brought before the meeting the chief provisions of
the contemplated bill at some length. The presence
of so large and influential a meeting was, he said,
very gratifying to him, because it was an earnest of
the anxiety and zeal todevelope the salmon fisheries
of this county and to redeem them from the ruin
into which they had fallen. It was not long since
that improved legislation had been brought to bear
in the matter. In 1860 a commission, on which he

had the honour of serving, was issued, and emanat-
ing from the evidence then taken was the Salmon
Fisheries Act of 1861. It was encouraging to find

that, notwithstanding the shortcomings of that act,
egreat deal of good had been done, and people
were now sensibly aware that if the good work
were pursued there was no doubt that large
and important results to the country would
inevitably follow. (Hear, hear.) In the Taw and
Torridge Rivers in North Devon, for instance, more
salmon had been taken in the past two seasons than
had ever been known before. Six or seven a season
had been about the average of fish caught in these
rivers, but in the past season 401. worth had been
taken, and it was not too much to expect that this
quantity would soon be quadrupled. By the Act of
1861 there was no provision for obtaining funds
wherewith to devise measures for the protection of
fish. There were two fundamental th'ings necessary
to revive the salmon fisheries—first the removal of
obstructions to the ascent of the fist, up the rivers,
and, secondly, to protect them when they were up.
(Hear, hear.) In Ireland funds bad been raised by
the imposition of a licence duty on all rods, nets,
and engines employed in catching the salmon, and
the rivers were placed under Boards of Conserva-
tors, by whom water bailiffs were appointed. These
bailiffs had power to pass. "along the banks and to
examine all nets, &c., and to prosecute all persons
offendingagainst the pro vifiions of the Act. In Eng-
land, however, no such. powers existed, the Act of
1861 only giving power. to Courts of Quarter Ses-
sion to appoint consery ators, who were conservators
only in name, for the Act vested no powers in them
—and the protection of the salmon has consequently
only been carried or tt by those who set themselves
or were employed 'to watch the rivers with the view
of getting half thre penalty in any case of conviction
where they were the informants. The bill now
printed therefor e proposed to create funds, &c., by
similar provisions to the Act which had for many
years worked. well in Ireland. And he considered
it essentially necessary that there should be some
means devised for raising funds, for, although large
amounts !Dad in some cases been obtained for the
protection of salmon in various rivers in England,
long experience had shown him that sooner or later
the vc;luntary principle failed, and even those who
had 7oeen most forward in raising subscriptions
now dgsired that a compulsory measure
should be adopted. In the first instance the
magistrates at quarter sessions were to appoint a
preliminary committee, by whom it would' be de-
ckled whether the county should be brought
under the provisions of of the bill, the power of
adoption or rejection: being proposed to be left in
the hands of magistrates and
persons interest ed
the fisheries'in each oounty. When the
Boa rd of m
Conservators were appointed, in case of adopt-011,
the functions of the o
mg the avocation
management of the rilier being vested in the Boards.
A:lagistrates, committee ceased, th,e
owners cA fisheries, and persons follow-
mg
the board a 4
h river would
seaboard on Gine-
The district of each
be fixed by the
Every engine portion of the
fishermen were eligible for elec-
office, a certain _ _
eitherwither
.side of the estuary being included.
th le limits of this district would
then contribute ae
expey the BC rd
cs3r,cli 'ng to its capacity of capture
to one co
ndedb common fun drlxich would be managed and
were, however, many
being restored, but wl riversof iConservators. Theren
England capable of
hichhadbeen Bo neglected and
abused that at the p resent time
there were few, if
any, engines to tax, and he feared the Exe was one
of these. This create d a great difficulty, for it was
hopeless tosthink sof raising anything like sufficient