The Sun.
London, England, 1866-06-04 00:00:00

English Salmon Fisheries•

Mr. Ffennell's fifth annual report to the Home
Secretary on the salmon fisheries of England and
Wales has just been issued. Mr. Ffennell remarks :
" Two unusually dry summers following in succes-
sion affected all the rivers in the United Kingdom, and
those of England, whose recovery from extreme ex-
haustion had only just set in, were not in a state to bear
so well this unfavourable occurrence as the rivers of
Scotland and Ireland, where more stamina existed.
The very favourable results, however, which had
been experienced in the operation of the first two
yeaks of the Act of 1861 had convinced the public
of the soundness of the principles which it recognised,
and had established a firm conviction that the salmon
fisheries of England would and must prosper under
such improved laws, if so amended and strengthened
as to enable them to be adequately administered."
The report gives au elaborate analysis of the Act
28 and 29 Vict. c. 121, which is now about to come
veY eainpgtu ofe
r
into operation. There are two very important pro-
visionslicence d
cuotnitaesionn all instrumentsedinthisact :ounsee,a in thetlhe
of salmon, for the purpose of providing funds for
protection, and the constitution of boards of con-
servators to administer those funds ; the other, the
appointment of special commissioners to ascertain
what fixed engines are entitled to be continued in
use under the provisions of the Act of 1861. " There
are two questions at stake," Mr. Ffennel proceeds
to remark, " of vital importance to the future pros-
perity of the fishery : one the removal of all fixed
engines in tidal waters not privileged under the
Act of 1861 ;' and the other the removal or regula-
tion, as the case may be, of all fishery weirs
and fishery mill dams in fresh waters, in con-
formity with the provisions of, that act. The
Legislature has provided a means by which these
matters may be determined and set at rest forever
without further delay, and at the same time reliev-
ing the fishery interests the
ted as it should
be,have vigorously come
fishery protection will be
wahpophave
the
protracted and expensive litigation. consequences
is to
be hoped of
that t
andthis
h forward in support
manyo
further stimulated in their laudable zeal, and en-
couraged to
omaeast the
extendur°will their be from
of fishery
exertions and attention to
other ameliorations in the state of the waters of the
country, which may undoubtedly be effected to a
very important extent, if
measures quite within
the scope of practical r • app 'cation be systemati-
cally and judiciously d
a opted. Next in importance
to the restriction of
fixed engines within the
limits wiff°to ned them,
by the Act of 1861 are the
enactments in the Act of 1865, which provide for
levying
licence duties or rates upon all
engines em-
ployed in the I
capture osalmon, to be applied for
the purposes of picitection under the direction of
boards of conservators, who are to be appointed by
the magistrates at quarter sessions. The manifest
necessity for such a measure has been so fully dis-
cussed in former reports, and so generally acquiesced
in, that it is unnecessary to offer any remarks upon
either the expediency or equity of the principle of a
fixed arrangement of this kind, by which every one
wishing to partake of the benefits will contribute to
the protection of that in which he has an interest,
and of which he desires to avail himself."
Twenty-four districts have been formed under the
act, of which the boundaries are given in the report.
Mr. Ffennell remarks in conclusion :—" In former
reports I have expressed an opinion that much more
might be done than has been done in mitigating the
effects of pollutions, even as the law stands at pre-
sent. lam still of that opinion, and hope that the
formation of districts with boards of conservators
this' direction."
will lead to more practical activityin