The Evolution of Management Institutions for the British Columbia Salmon Fishery, 1900 to 1930
By Frank MillerdABSTRACT
Caught between the conflicting objectives of development, equity, and conservation and faced with a developing industry, management authorities grappled with the common property resource, limited knowledge, and social and political pressures. Initially fishing inefficiency probably contributed more to conservation than management. Various property rights allocations, including exclusive fishing rights, limitations on fishing licences, and limitations on processing licences were tried. By 1930 management evolved to open access with restrictions on effort.
Jurisdictional disputes, between the federal and provincial governments and between Canada and the United States complicated management. Both the Canadian and British Columbia governments claimed some management authority. The British North America Act of 1867, the Act forming Canada, assigned fisheries to the federal government, ignoring property rights in fisheries. With the provinces given jurisdiction over property, the stage was set for a series of conflicts and court cases before management responsibilities were clarified.
Internationally, Canadians and Americans both claimed the right to exploit certain salmon stocks. By 1930 a treaty was negotiated for the most important stock.
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