ENVIRONMENT
Taking it further
Wreck Champions needed – now !
Jane Maddocks explains how BSAC divers can play a direct role in monitoring and protecting our historic shipwrecks
There is a new kid on the block , as far as protecting historic wrecks goes , and it has implications for us as divers . For a few years now Historic England ( HE ) has been scheduling historic wrecks as Monuments of National Importance under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Area Act 1979 ( AMAA 79 ). Scheduling is the operative word : it only applies to sites protected under AMMA ’ 79 .
So , what ’ s new ? Well , after much discussion , the AMMA act is now actively covering historic shipwrecks , and that means there are ways for divers to access these sites , and to help in their conservation .
As scheduled ancient monuments , important wrecks can be dived without any need to apply for permission or get licences ; we can dive as we wish , when we wish . What we can ’ t do is interfere with it , move bits around , or remove anything from the wreck – but we are free to dive it . If you want to survey or move stuff , you will have to talk to HE first to sort out permissions .
As someone who tries to look after a scheduled ancient monument ( SS Faith ),
I do not have any official standing . Divers such as Alison Mayor and her team look after the tanks and bulldozers on the South Coast , and Nick Reed keeps an eye on the Valentine tanks in Swanage Bay .
These sites are all important and I want to try to get some form of diver involvement that means we get updates on the sites , perhaps annually . SS Faith is an Ancient Monument of National Importance ; talking to Nick and Alison has made me think about how we can record what happens to these wrecks and this is why I need you .
Since scheduling was applied to wrecks in the last couple of years , 29 have been scheduled - impressive when you consider that there are only 57 sites protected since the ’ 73 Act was passed 50 years ago .
Wrecks protected under the ’ 73 Act have an appointed licensee who is responsible for activity on the wreck , applying for the right licenses to do survey , or recovery of artefacts , or even excavation . HE requires an annual report and in general there is a formal structure recognising the wreck and its importance . Obviously , this does cost money , which comes out of the HE budget .
Valentine tank in Swanage Bay
Scheduled wrecks have no licensee , no formal someone who will dive , observe , record , report . There is no mechanism for an annual check to see what is going on . I have had an idea .
I want to find six Wreck Champions . A Wreck Champion will be someone who dives one of the scheduled wrecks at least once a year and completes a very short form . I will be very happy to show you how to complete the form , it ’ s really straightforward . I can offer Hi Vis vests , and support material from the Protected Wrecks Association team .
If you are a Wreck Champion you will be in at the beginning of something that can only benefit divers . Email me at heritage @ bsac . com - I would love to have the problem of too many applicants , please !
I don ’ t want to stop at just the scheduled wrecks from HE . The Protection of Military Remains Act also has two types of protection . A controlled site means no access without permission from the Ministry of Defence , but a Protected Place allows free access with no entry or interference .
I ’ m going to ask permission from the MOD for divers to do ‘ swim-over ’ reports on Protected Places and start a small archive from the reports . Each year , I do an informal check on two such sites : HM Submarine Swordfish and the M2 . Nothing official , just a swim-over looking for signs of bad behaviour or change .
I am really pleased that I have been asked to work with the Protected Wrecks Association to try to make our sites more visible .
I would like to research the expenses we , as divers , cover when diving on protected sites . So , this year , if you dive a protected wreck or scheduled site , can you just cost up your mileage at 45p per mile , plus boat costs and gas and send it to me at heritage @ bsac . com so I can get a fuller picture . The work that volunteers do on our sites is never properly accounted for . I suspect we save government a good few million each year , and we need evidence of these savings . �
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