DATELINE :- 14th June 2000
WRECKS REVIEW
Government to examine wrecks law
The government has announced its Review of Heritage, by which English Heritage is to examine and report on the whole process of law governing civil and military wrecks, under legislation including the Merchant Shipping Act 1995, Protection of Wrecks Act 1973, and Protection of Military Remains Act 1986.
Responsibility for administering wreck legislation is to pass to English Heritage over the next five years from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, which does not have the same resources for administering sub-maritime law.
Aiding the review will be the advisory Joint Nautical Archaeological Policy Committee's document Heritage Law at Sea: Proposals for Change, spelling out areas for possible improvement in the Merchant Shipping and Protection of Wrecks Acts.
"The document has been endorsed by the BSAC, PADI and SAA," said a legal source, "and it is interesting that they have backed proposals which include a potentially extensive requirement to report finds located, not just those raised.
"This would impinge on divers' freedoms, but would avoid the current situation where any amount of damage can be done to a [non-protected or non-MOD] wreck without a requirement to contact the authorities, unless an item is raised."
The document also supports the strong measure of confiscating equipment used in the illegal diving upon or salvage of protected sites.
The document is openly available, free of charge, from JNAPC, c/o Michael Williams, School of Legal Studies, University of Wolverhampton, Wolverhampton WV1 1SB.