Colonial Despatches
The colonial despatches of Vancouver Island and British Columbia 1846-1871
Despatch from London
Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle Henry Pelham Fiennes to
Douglas, Sir James 9 May 1861, LAC :, 441.
Abstract
Despatch from London.
Enclosures (transcribed) (3), Enclosures (untranscribed) (3).
No. 77
Downing Street
9 May 1861
Dear Sir
I have the honor to transmit to you herewith the copy of a
Memorandum on the subject of the protection of the Salmon Fisheries of
British Columbia which has been submitted to me by Mr Ffennell aMember
Member of a late Fishery Commission in this Country. I also enclose copies of a
subsequent correspondence with that Gentleman and I have to
invite your attention to a subject which will probably ere long become
one of some importance to the Colony. I have requested the Governor of
Canada to forward to you the official documents bearing uponthe
the matter mentioned in Mr Ffennell's letter of the 19th of April, and in the
meantime I enclose a report of the British Commissioners which may
probably afford you information that will be useful to you in legislating
on the Fisheries of British Columbia.
Member of a late Fishery Commission in this Country. I also enclose copies of a
subsequent correspondence with that Gentleman and I have to
invite your attention to a subject which will probably ere long become
one of some importance to the Colony. I have requested the Governor of
Canada to forward to you the official documents bearing uponthe
the matter mentioned in Mr Ffennell's letter of the 19th of April, and in the
meantime I enclose a report of the British Commissioners which may
probably afford you information that will be useful to you in legislating
on the Fisheries of British Columbia.
Documents enclosed with the main document (not transcribed)
Copy, Ffennell to Fortescue, 27 March 1861, on the protection of the salmon fisheries of British Columbia. Transcribed below.
Extract, Ffennell to Fortescue, 19 April 1861, on the salmon fisheries of British Columbia, and the "state of the Canadian Salmon Fisheries." Transcribed below.
Copy of a "Memo on Salmon Fishery British Columbia," by Ffennell, no date. Transcribed below.
Documents enclosed with the main document (transcribed)
Copy
Downing Street
27th March 1861
Downing Street
27th March 1861
Sir,
The Duke of Newcastle desires me to thank you for the memo which you have been good enough to furnish him
on the subject of the protection of the salmon fisheries in the Rivers of British Columbia.
His Grace is fully aware of the importance of the subject which you propose, and his
prepared to instruct the Governor to take steps for the proper preservation of these
fisheries, but before doing so, he would be glad mediumto be furnished with the titles of any public documents [???] which it might be desirable & supply
supply him for his assistance in copying out the subject in his view.
supply him for his assistance in copying out the subject in his view.Sigd
Documents enclosed with the main document (transcribed)
I would beg to refer you to the following documents for the information of His grace
the Duke of Newcastle.
Fishery acts upper and Lower Canada, printed in Quebec by the Queens Printer—
Report of Comm(r) of Crown Lands of Canada for
(I have not yet seen Report 1860.)
Fishery acts upper and Lower Canada, printed in Quebec by the Queens Printer—
Report of Comm(r) of Crown Lands of Canada for
- - - - - - 1857
- - - - - - 1858
- - - - - - 1859
(I have not yet seen Report 1860.)
These reports contain much valuable information with respect to the Laws enacted for
the protection of the Fisheries of Canada, the state of the Fisheries had fallen into,
— and the
the means now in operation for mediumtheir regulation. I believe the salmon Fisheries of British Columbia far exceed in extent & capabilities chase of Canada and that is would be highly expedient
to place them under as system of state regulation before abuses creep in, with the
view of inducing private enterprises embarking in their commercial development and
at the same time guarding against the establishment of abuses and improvident practices
which must tend ultimately to diminish materially if not totally to destroy a great
natural source of wealth. 
The state of the Canadian Salmon Fisheries appears to furnish an example fully supporting
this view of the question.
the means now in operation for mediumtheir regulation. I believe the salmon Fisheries of British Columbia far exceed in extent & capabilities chase of Canada and that is would be highly expedient
to place them under as system of state regulation before abuses creep in, with the
view of inducing private enterprises embarking in their commercial development and
at the same time guarding against the establishment of abuses and improvident practices
which must tend ultimately to diminish materially if not totally to destroy a great
natural source of wealth. 
The state of the Canadian Salmon Fisheries appears to furnish an example fully supporting
this view of the question.Documents enclosed with the main document (transcribed)
It is suggested that the Salmon Fisheries should be placed under supervision as well
as the land, to give security to private enterprise and to prevent confusion of rights
and waste, and that an area of water producing salmon is likely as civilization progresses
and Commerce extends to become more valuable by one hundred-fold and more than the
same area of land.
That the first step towards promoting the objects referred to should be the employment
of a person of practical knowledge to review the rivers to an extent sufficient to
enable him to report upon their capabilities, and to
to print out the steps which should be taken to prevent abuses before they have set
in and to suggest the mode by which a system of healthy enterprise may be promoted
in the colony.
to print out the steps which should be taken to prevent abuses before they have set
in and to suggest the mode by which a system of healthy enterprise may be promoted
in the colony.By adopting this course many persons from this country might soon be highinduced to embark in the Salmon Fishery of B. Columbia by necessary information which would rely upon if communicated on the authority of
a person of practical knowledge while at present they can only obtain fragments of
information derived from persons in the colony whose attention has been attracted
to the question by the mediumimmense quantities of fish which they [???] exist, and which a few have communicated but are unable to offer any opinion upon
the practicability of embarking in such an enterprise.
the practicability of embarking in such an enterprise.The quantity of salmon which at present exist in British Columbia and the extent of rivers producing them is so far beyond anything which the waters
of Great Britain and Ireland ever produced or could produce that no idea can be formed
at present of their relative value.
The salmon fisheries of that Country appear to be one of the resources of the Colony
which might be most readily brought into commercial development if measures were taken
to promote it.
Those fisheries are in their present state natural and unimpaired but as population
increase abuse are certain to follow as in Canada for instance where the government
are 
now obliged to take up the question & appoint officers to check the evil whereas of
timely measures be taken to prevent encroachment & destruction much ultimate loss
to the country may be prevented.
now obliged to take up the question & appoint officers to check the evil whereas of
timely measures be taken to prevent encroachment & destruction much ultimate loss
to the country may be prevented.The Government now possess those Fisheries — no real or assumed vested rights by Individuals
have been established and it is suggested that now is the proper time to place them
under the protection of the state, and that they may be soon profitably disposed of
under judicious regulations to enterprising individuals and [???] bring a large Revenue into the country affording increased capital for further and
more general operations of industry.