Potential Diver Impacts on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Case Studies from Asia-Pacific
Author(s): Joanne L Edney
Year: 2013
Summary
Underwater cultural heritage sites, particularly ship and aircraft wrecks, are becoming increasingly popular and important attractions for recreational scuba divers. However, use of these sites by divers can result in a range of adverse impacts such as boat anchor damage, disturbance to and removal of artefacts, deliberate and accidental contacts with wrecks and artefacts, as well as exhaled air bubbles. Whilst these impacts may not present a major threat in comparison to other human impacts, such as fishing activities, extractive industries or commercial salvage, their cumulative effect can be significant particularly at sites where visitation levels are high. Drawing on examples from the Asia Pacific region, this paper will discuss the causes and nature of potential recreational diver impacts on wreck sites and outline recommended management strategies to mitigate such impacts. A framework and directions for future research to quantify diver impacts will be outlined.
Cite this Record
Potential Diver Impacts on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Case Studies from Asia-Pacific. Joanne L Edney. Presented at Society for Historical Archaeology, Leicester, England, U.K. 2013 ( tDAR id: 428357)
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Keywords
General
Asia-Pacific
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diver impacts
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underwater cultural heritage
Spatial Coverage
min long: 112.952; min lat: -43.648 ; max long: 153.606; max lat: -10.71 ;
Individual & Institutional Roles
Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology
Record Identifiers
PaperId(s): 209