Enhancing Protection of Underwater Heritage Assets

Abstract

Historic England holds the primary responsibility for the preservation of underwater heritage assets (UHA) in the English Inshore Marine Planning Area. Contemporary threats to UHA, whether protected by virtue of a specific legal designation or otherwise, are potentially increasing with the march of technology – enabling discovery of and access to UHA at an unprecedented level. Effective protection of UHA must incorporate effective enforcement of the laws designed to that end – whether in the case of specifically focused heritage laws or those related to salvage or marine licensing. This project helps to identify areas where potential synergies in enforcement effort might exist. Further, it explores the limitations and obstacles to effective cross-party working and offers some solutions for overcoming them.