They usually tell stories of international intrigue and scandal, and reveal the fears and foibles of those who ruled and governed us a generation ago.
Papers released this new year under the 30 year rule show Prince Charles took up the plight of the salmon. In a secret letter to the then Prime Minister, Harold Wilson, the Prince warned of the dangers of over-fishing.
In a confidential hand-written note from Balmoral, dated September 12, 1969, he said:
“To many people, the controversy over the salmon and their netting off Greenland may appear exaggerated, but people are notoriously short-sighted when it comes to questions of wildlife and several species have been wiped out because no-one has woken up in time to the danger.
“I don’t want to say that the same will happen to the salmon, but modern methods of fishing seem to allow the fish absolutely no chance and the numbers taken each year increase rapidly.
“This sport, and fishing in general, has a huge following in this country and, as a result, I would have thought that there is great value to be gained from cod fishing, particularly when let to Americans and other foreign fishermen.
“The main problem at the moment seems to be that, if everyone waits for scientific research on the salmon netting, the stocks will be severely depleted before any regulations are imposed, and this would be tragic for netters and fishermen alike.”
Prince Charles signed off with the friendly warning: “When you come up here next weekend, I shall attack you on the subject again!”
Whether they ever fished together was not mentioned in the exchange of correspondence. But in May 1970, Wilson informed the Prince of the international restrictions that were imposed off Norway in relation to salmon fishing.
Prince Charles replied: “At least it is a step in the right direction. Obviously a total ban is out of the question, and probably unnecessary, but I hope the Greenland fisheries will consider limitations that will be for their own good in the long run.”
Thirty years later and the Prince’s worst fears have all but come true.
