Fairfield County Diving Association

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D R A F T

UNDERWATER ARCHAEOLOGICAL PROTECTION GUIDLINES:
ROLES FOR THE DIVING COMMUNITY
AND THE STATE OF CONNECTICUT

1.State of Connecticut, pursuant to the federal Abandoned Shipwreck Act, bears the responsibility to protect and safeguard the state's maritime heritage for all the citizens of Connecticut.

2. State of Connecticut's custodianship is limited to historic shipwrecks as defined eligible for the State or National Register of Historic Places.

3. All other classes of wrecks do not require coordination, permission, or attention of the state of Connecticut historic preservation offices, however, they may be subject to compliance with the Department of Environmental Protection's Long Island Sound Program for environmental regulation and polices.

1) Diving on wrecks and the removal of exposed, but, not embedded artifacts recovered by hand or small tools in permissible without a permit from the state. Divers would assume custody for any artifact immediately upon submitting to the State Historic Preservation Office and the Office of State Archaeology the following information within two weeks of the recovery.

a) List of Artifacts, including drawings and/or photographs

b) Location Data, including site coordinates, depth etc.

c) Contextual Data, including ship specific locational information

Site and artifact information will be placed in the state of Connecticut Underwater Archaeological Site Inventory Forms.

2) Within two weeks of discovery, the artifacts recovered will be brought to the Office of State Archaeology at the University of Connecticut, or, a designated state repository for evaluation.

a) If the artifact is determined not to be historically significant, the finder may retain possession

b) If the artifact is determined to be historically significant, the finder has two options:

i) donate the artifact to the CT State museum of Natural History, donor will receive certificate of donation and appraisal value for tax deductions

ii) loan the artifact to the CT State museum of Natural History to be displayed and available to researchers for a two year period; where upon donor may take possession of the artifact, donate to the museum, or renew loan agreement

3) Although the state of Connecticut has sole rights to historic shipwrecks within our coastal waters and rivers, divers locating previously unreported sites should be assigned rights of discovery privilege including a profit-sharing partnership with the state should vessel be of commercial value.

4) Reporting of wrecks and artifacts taken from wrecks will be a self-regulatory system. As long as wrecks are reported for historical evaluation and inventory, the stare of Connecticut will not require permits or costs associated with wreck diving activities. In a good faith gesture, dive clubs will amend their by-laws encouraging members to comply; boat captains and dive shops will distribute pamphlets to customers outlining state reporting procedures, and encourage compliance.

5) This self-regulatory proposal will be reviewed and evaluated in two years of implementation to measure the success of the program and its continuation Review process will be conducted by members of the Underwater Archaeology Steering Committee.

1) The CT Historical Commission (CHC) and the Office of State Archaeology (OSA) will maintain comprehensive site files and maps, Shipwreck locational data may be withheld in order to preserve site integrity in accordance with CT Gen. Statutes Sec, 10-321.

2) CHC and OSA will evaluate the historical significance of shipwrecks. Wrecks will be considered historically significant if they are eligible for the National Register of Historic Places or are embedded and possess site integrity. No artifact collecting will be permitted on wrecks placed on the state's historical registry without a permit.

3) CHC and OSA will coordinate efforts for review and compliance of state underwater archaeology protection policies; develop underwater preserves (i.e., parks) to allow access for recreational divers to historical shipwrecks.

4) CHC and OSA will develop a certification program to encourage divers to become proficient in underwater archaeology methods. Certification will be given to divers who have taken accredited workshops, courses, etc., conducted by maritime archaeologists meeting National Park Service qualifications. Certification will provide divers the following opportunities:

a) participation in underwater archaeology programs in the state,

b) access to the site files for locational data,

c) placement on the state's list of divers for assistance in preservation efforts,

d) qualified to receive a Survey Permit as described below.

1) If diving activities do not fall into the above described recreational guidelines, diver will be considered "commercial" and will require a permit for underwater wreck investigation

2) Survey Permit. A permit will be issued to use power tools for the removal of artifacts from a state registered historic wreck for purposes of site evaluation. This permit is restricted to professional underwater archaeologists and certified divers.

3) Salvage Permit. A permit will be issued to conduct intensive underwater archaeological excavations on wrecks registered as historically significant with the state. If wreck is non historically significant, salvage permit will be regulated by Department of Environmental Protection's Long Island Sound Program for environmental concerns.

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Last modified on Friday March 20, 1998 00:30:26