73 



commissioned to administer certain laws, and to perform duties 

 prescribed by an Act of Parliament ? And again, how far such 

 views are to prevail over the apparent attention of the Legis- 

 lature to provide adequate means for their administration ? It 

 was surely not to be expected that additional pecuniary means 

 would be accorded, unless representations of the need for them 

 were made by the authorities, who would be cognizant of the 

 requirements of the service ? On this head may be referred 

 to, the frequent allusions in the yearly reports, to the small- 

 ness of the means at the disposal of the Board, and to the want 

 of funds to make queen's shares and passes in rivers on which 

 the success of the new regulations as to Salmon fisheries de- 

 pended, a want that will long remain unsupplied unless other 

 means than those at present available are afforded. The sum 

 allowed for the staff and Government expenses of the Irish 

 Fishery department has already been placed in contrast to that 

 allotted to the improvement and control of the Sea fisheries 

 only of Scotland. Whether a similar sum could be advanta- 

 geously employed for the development of these resources of 

 both description in Ireland, is worthy of consideration. 



The Commissioners continue : " Our experience since the 

 passing of these Acts enables us distinctly to report in favour of 

 the policy and line of action thus laid down. We believe that any 

 other would only end in disappointment, and a further postpone- 

 ment of the ultimate prosperity of the fisheries. With reference 

 to the sea fisheries, we have already fully expressed our opinions; 

 and in respect to the salmon and inland fisheries, we submit 

 that it never was contemplated that this Board should initiate 

 proceedings and enforce the law in every river or stream of 

 the country ; nor can we conceive any course more calculated 

 to check self-reliance, and retard indefinitely the due perform- 

 ance of magisterial, local, and individual public duties, than 

 relieving localities from the responsibility of watching over their 

 own interests, and duly enforcing the common law and legis- 

 lative regulations made for their benefit." 



So zealous and almost ubiquitous a course of action was cer- 

 tainly not to be expected, but even a desirable medium was 

 unattained. 



The two reports of the Inspecting Commissioners of Fisheries, 

 published by the Select Committee of last session, dated 18th 

 and 21st April, 1849, may be referred to in the Appendix. The 

 first is on the government of the salmon fisheries, and the state 

 of the laws affecting them ; the latter is addressed to the Board 

 of Public Works, with whom they are associated as joint Com- 

 missioners of the Fishery department. The observations and 

 suggestions they contain as to means of improvement are wor- 

 thy of attention, as emanating from officers who have given 



