2023 Session 13: Major Threats to Underwater Cultural Heritage

Climate change is our greatest challenge. The paper is looking for the impact on underwater cultural heritage
(UCH), deep oceans, and coastal zone through literature reference and case studies. It will discuss the causes of
climate change, the…

Despite the indirect impact of sea level rises on underwater archaeological sites, identifying future conditions is
imperative to support conservation planning to minimise the possible effects that may occur. This study aims to
identify the sea…

The importance of conserving our ocean heritage is well recognised and was codified in international law in the
1972 World Heritage Convention. The 1982 Law of the Sea Convention (LOSC) recognises a duty to protect
‘objects of an archaeological or…

This article focuses on the possibility of recycling, removing, and leaving on-site offshore structures, such as
wind turbines and oil platforms. It also looks at the environmental consequences of these structures recycling
mostly carried out in…

Trawling has long been regarded as a damaging practice and marine ecologists have lobbied for restrictions. The
damage to Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH), however, has received less attention, though it is just as
consequential. This paper looks…

This paper proposes that development of a fit-for purpose management to protect underwater cultural heritage
from negative impacts caused by fishing gear requires three elements; evidence-based characterisation of
impacts; understanding of the…

The topic of this abstract fits within this session on threats to underwater cultural heritage (UCH) because of the
environmental risk posed by shipwrecks with petroleum cargoes. While many shipwrecks from the World Wars
are important parts of our…