BERMUDA (27 Dec 2001) -- Bermuda has approved tough new rules to protect historic shipwrecks. With passage of the new Historic Wrecks 2001 Act last week, divers who explore these historic sites without a license may now receive jail sentences and/or stiff fines. A provision allowing Bermuda's government to give divers compensation for salvaging historical artifacts from ships has also been abolished. Bermuda, which lies about 400 miles east of North Carolina, has become one of the world's top wreck-diving locations. From the first quarter of the 16th century, Bermuda became a landmark for Spanish ships sailing back to Spain from the New World. The desire to sight Bermuda to confirm ships' positions ended many a voyage on Bermuda's outer reefs, which have claimed vessels ranging from ocean liners to small fishing boats. Advocates of the new regulations have complained for years that there was virtually no effective protection for the estimated 350 ships, which have perished in these waters. Academics and conservationists like Bermuda Maritime Museum director Dr. Edward Harris have expressed the view that the shipwrecks and all they contain belong to the people of Bermuda, and that nothing should be removed from wrecks unless done in a scientific manner. Dr. Harris' views have been supported by the Bermuda National Trust. Explaining the archaeological value of shipwrecks, a Trust spokesperson said, " A ship is a functioning unit. When it sinks, everything goes to the bottom. It's an entire capsule of that total community." The new legislation passed by the island's Senate on Wednesday gives protection for all wrecks older than 50 years, and establishes a Custodian of Historic Wrecks who will classify the ships and issue licenses to explore. Wrecks will be classified as either "open" (to any divers) or "restricted" (to license holders). Anyone removing or disturbing historical artifacts from restricted wrecks without a license can be jailed for up to one year, fined US$25,000, or both." © CDNN - CYBER DIVER NEWS NETWORK | | Partners in crime: Grave robbers Leigh Bishop and Brad Sheard. Following the lead of dive industry-endorsed shipwreck looters Bishop and Sheard, scuba diving thieves around the world are destroying wrecks for bragging rights, coffee table displays and internet auction profits that amount to a fraction of the revenue shipwrecks can generate as fully protected underwater museums. FROM THE EDITORS OF CDNN Scuba looters around the world aggressively compete for bragging rights, product endorsements and profits from the sales of stolen artifacts that are now on a par with those from smuggling humans and drugs. "The vast majority of the global scuba diving community opposes shipwreck looting and underwater grave robbing," said CDS President Evan T. Allard. "For scuba divers, every shipwreck is an underwater museum to be fully protected for our children, our grandchildren and all future generations of divers who will dive deeper and longer thanks to ongoing improvements in diving technology ," Allard added. "It is absolutely imperative that the global scuba diving community, archaeologists, coast guards, police and tax authorities act now to prevent Leigh Bishop, Brad Sheard, David Morton (of the Boston Sea Rovers) and other shipwreck looters from exploiting and destroying sunken ships for their personal coffee table displays, internet self-promotion schemes, commercial 'museum' profits and tax-evasion scams." CYBER DIVER ALERT | If you have information pertaining to the theft and/or sale of wreck artifacts, or desecration of underwater grave sites by Leigh Bishop, Brad Sheard, organized crime gangs or anyone else, please contact CDNN immediately and your information will be passed along to appropriate authorities. REPORT SCUBA LOOTER |
|
|
