Potential Diver Impacts on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Case Studies from Asia-Pacific

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.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Formation Processes of Maritime Archaeological Landscapes and Sites   •
• Society for Historical Archaeology 2013

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Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

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PaperId(s): 209