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What Activities should be allowed/restricted on Wrecks?
The cornerstone question that needs discussing is what can be done on or nearby a historical wreck.
The current discussion paper would restrict “activities having underwater cultural heritage as their primary object and which may, directly or indirectly, physically disturb or otherwise damage underwater cultural heritage.”
Many juristictions provide exclusion zones around wrecks where activities are restricted.
Personally I believe that
1) Recreational (sport) diving that is non-intrusive should be specifically allowed.
2) Any activities that would damage or alter a known wreck site must be by a permit.
3) The regulations would allow for prosecution of those who through acting without due regard for the wreck cause damage.
4) No wreck is ever closed off from recreational divers except if being examined by police or authorities as part of a criminal or safety investigation.
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Ontario Diver
"It's Cold, It's Murky. Lots of Wrecks, 18 Species of fish (all various shades of brown and green) but the best beer in the world"
I think that on particular wrecks where there is an U/W archeological study in progress being done that it remains off limits to everyone that is not working on it.
Any activities that would damage or alter a known wreck site must be by a permit on wrecks located in inland waters or on significant historical wrecks in costal waters determined by a preliminary site survey.
Areas of historical significance should be labeled as a Marine Park and therefore the area is protected under the Heritage Act. Such as Fortress Louisbourg where several battles between the French and English where many ships of historical significance were lost.
Jason
How about wrecks that are known to contain human remains?
What about them?
Same rules as a graveyard or a battlefield. Walk on top. Respect what happened and the remains. Leave everything alone.
I see joggers, roller bladers, walkers and pick-nikers in graveyards all the time.
So diving in and around a wreck should be OK even if the wreck contains remains. Disturbing the remains except for criminal or archeological investigations would be the same as distrubing remains in a graveyard.
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Ontario Diver
"It's Cold, It's Murky. Lots of Wrecks, 18 Species of fish (all various shades of brown and green) but the best beer in the world"
WOW! 26 pages of posts and 99% of them are people in violent agreement.
OK for purposes of my question.... human remains in wrecks deserve the same respect and protection as remains above ground in a grave. Left alone unless disturbed for "professional" archeological reasons or criminal/safety investigative reasons.
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Ontario Diver
"It's Cold, It's Murky. Lots of Wrecks, 18 Species of fish (all various shades of brown and green) but the best beer in the world"
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