Management of Maritime Cultural Resources: An American Perspective

The management of a maritime cultural resource suggests control by a manager for appropriate treatment of the resource, with the objective of its protection and prevention. The advances in the technology have made underwater cultural heritage available not only to archaeologists and other scientists, but also to treasure salvors and the public. Underwater cultural heritage is protected to lesser or greater extents by various laws at the local, regional, state, national, and international levels. The United States has not ratified any of the conventions meant for the conservation of maritime heritage but has asserted sovereign rights in its territorial sea. The United States has nearly 1,800 areas in the marine environment that are reserved by federal, state, territorial, tribal, or local laws or regulations with the aim of long lasting protection of these areas. The effective management of submerged cultural resources is still a challenge to many communities and nations.