Threats to Underwater Cultural Heritage from Existing and Future Human Activities

Abstract

Our ocean heritage (natural and cultural) is at risk from destructive human activities, including bottom trawling, deep seabed mining (DSM), and potentially polluting wrecks (PPWs). The stories of our societies and our ancestors are often connected with the ocean and captured on the seafloor as artifacts, shipwrecks and the remains of those lost or buried at sea. Previously, marine global heritage protection efforts have been largely focused on natural heritage. However, Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) is also ocean heritage and must be considered the same way. We must shine a light on UCH as heritage and insist that it be part of Marine Spatial Planning with integrated ocean and coastal management. Approaches include, but are not limited to, (1) Conducting baseline surveys to identify heritage that should be conserved and preserved for present and future generations; (2) Environmental assessments taking into account the impact of human activities on both natural and cultural heritage; (3) Measures to identify, avoid or minimize the adverse impacts; and (4) The application of a precautionary approach to trawling, DSM and salvage of PPWs, calling for a moratorium on these activities unless and until steps 1 – 3 have been accomplished, permits/other management controls are in place and significant natural and cultural sites have been designated as protected areas.