1 10 5 https://apconf-much.org/proceedings/files/original/34a443bbae1b8e21707aa882599da001.pdf e8152076430d90b8ccd215e5d99e9190 PDF Text Text Synergetic management strategy toward sustainable use of ocean resources and enhancing blue economy Bishnu Pada Bose1, Debashruti Bose2, Diptasri Ghosh3 1 Swami Vivekananda University, Barrackpore, Kolkata, West Bengal, India Symbiosis International University, Pune, Maharashtra, India 3 Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India Corresponding author, E-mail address: bosebishnu@gmail.com 2 ABSTRACT As intensified anthropogenic activities and altered global climate systems impose cumulative pressures on marine biodiversity, their potential to provide tangible and intangible benefits to people and the planet might decrease, causing degrading maritime heritage. The marine environment considers a precious heritage of the global community. A healthy marine environment can boost the resilience of marine heritage. On the other side, the blue economy in the ocean context is strongly gaining international importance. Blue economy cooperation at both global and regional levels will develop a common concept of marine ecosystems and protect underwater marine heritage. The worldwide ocean covers 71% of Earth's surface area. It is expected to become the great economic frontier in the coming future, with tremendous potential for resource generation and development across multidirectional segments. As the oceans are vast and particularly sensitive to ocean trades, coastal economics, marine heritage, and ecosystems need to be preserved, and a balance between trade and commerce and the conservation of the marine ecosystems and heritage must be found. Worldwide, 80% of global trade is achieved using the seas, and 40% of the global population lives near coastal zones. It has been estimated that the annual gross revenue from marine products (GMP) is US$2.5 trillion, and the total value of the ocean resources is at least US$24 trillion; also, the ocean economy is capable of providing a livelihood for over 3 billion people. Pursuing the blue economy sustainably is essential to optimize mutual benefit for the well-being of people and the planet. To enhance the blue economy, we must focus on achieving SDGs goal 14, conserving the maritime cultural heritage and ocean biodiversity. At the same time, stakeholder initiatives, policy formation, and transboundary cooperation are significant. It requires disruptive approaches to eliminate marine pollution and conserve marine ecosystems and heritage to enhance the blue economy at the global level. This paper discusses the threat to underwater cultural heritage caused by anthropogenic sources. It discusses ocean governance, policies, and the proposal to protect marine ecosystems, conserve maritime heritage, and enhance the blue economy. Keywords: Anthropogenic Activities, Underwater Cultural Heritage, Ocean Resources, Blue Economy LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS GMP Gross marine product MCH Marine Cultural Heritage R&D Research and development SDGs Sustainable Development Goals UCH Underwater cultural heritage UNESCO United Nations educational, scientific and cultural organization LIST OF TABLES and FIGURES Table 1 The present threats to UCH Table 2 Presents the definitions of the sustainable ocean economy and blue economy Table 3 Regional Collaboration in Sustainable Ocean Governance Table 4 Summarizes the factors influencing the blue economy Table 5 Marine policy directions adopted by major nations Table 6 Solutions to be coordinated between MCH protection and marine development Figure 1 Marine Ecosystems and economic benefits 1 �INTRODUCTION The literature is evident that the ocean economy consists of living resources, renewable energy, minerals, tourism and recreation, carbon sequestration, transport and trade, and overall marine and coastal zone protection (Ebarvia, 2016; Hussain et al. 2018; Karani and Failler 2020; Choudhary et al. 2021). On the other hand, it has been stated that "UCH is defined as all traces of human existence of a cultural, historical or archaeological nature which, for at least 100 years, have been partially or immersed, periodically or permanently, under the oceans and in lakes and rivers" (UNESCO 2001 Convention; Pearson and Thompson 2023). UCH is not officially a blue economy sector, but it is a field where UCH can be used as a resource of economic benefits, in turn enhancing the global blue economy (Nishikawa 2021; Lamont 2022). Worldwide around 40% of the population is mainly connected in coastal zones, and 75% of the world's major cities are situated near the coastal area (Small and Nicholls, 2003; Mimura, 2006; Lane et al., 2015 Vignudelli et al. 2019). Probably the significant legacy of securing a sustainable ocean economy is that developing measurements to usher sustainable ocean development can gleam the way for the measure to a sustainable blue economy (Fenichel et al. 2020). The ocean economy is under multidirectional risks and stressors, ranging from direct biodiversity damage, unmanaged resource extraction, pollution, and climate change (Ryabinin et al. 2019). Achieving effective sustainability of the ocean environment, biodiversity, and ecological systems in a changing era is a great challenge Anthropogenic (Bigagli 2016; Quirk and Hannah 2016; Fox et al. 2021). The ocean strongly contributes to the global society for our well-being but, at the same time, is severely impacted by human activities (Micheli et al. 2013; Halpern et al. 2015). Oceans provide us with essential natural resources, but the management towards governance is a very complex network, and, as a result, ocean ecosystems. The current protocol of management strategy is seen to have failed to utilize the ocean resources sustainably, and also, there needs to be more efficient in managing other ocean ecosystems, which has been highlighted in the various consequences (Curtin and Prellezo 2010; Henderson 2019) Sustainable development of the ocean ecosystem is possible; still, such growth will depend upon the sustained capacity building of coastal and indigenous communities, stakeholder collaboration, and the resource's long-term sustainability. Based on the literature review data, ocean sustainability is linked with the other sustainable development goal (Claudet et al. 2020). The current ocean governance system must be revised to handle the ocean's challenges. A reconfiguration of ocean management and governance orientation should support a healthy and thriving relationship between the human community and the ocean, enhance the blue economy, and improve sustainable development. UCH (DEFINITIONS) The UCH defines as “all the material and resource evidence of human activities carried on in the ocean environment, particularly as evidenced on the bottom of the sea." (Smith and Couper 2003). According to the UCH Convention of UNESCO (adopted in 2001), “UCH is defined as all traces of human existence having a cultural, historical, or archaeological character, which has been partially or totally under water, periodically or continuously, for at least 100 years” (UNESCO 2021). PRESENT THREATS TO THE UCH Considering the increased interest in ocean heritage in the last few decades, it is vital to emphasize global awareness of the value of UCH and engage stakeholders, leaders, and policy-makers in taking initiatives to protect marine cultural treasures. As per UNESCO, the present threats to UCH are becoming serious and presented in Table 1. 2 �Table 1 The present threats to UCH Threats to the UCH Effects on UCH Climate change Rising sea levels, damaging biodiversity and ecosystems Pillages Due to the modern technological advancement, research interest, and hunting of treasure. Extensive pillage is now also taking place underwater. Commercial and tourist exploitation Commercial exploitation is the legal recovery of artifacts from a heritage site to put them up for sale. Trawling and Fishing Trawling activities are degrading UCH. Its impact on the sea floor is devastating. Economic activities Economic activities in the ocean environment are damaging UCH in multiple directions. Such as marine construction works, mineral extraction, and trading of marine species affect the environment by generating pollution, causing erosion, or modifying currents. In turn, they are degrading UCH. Industrial and commercial work Shipping and other commercial activities causing significant effects on UCH Developing the seabed extraction, pipeline) Extracting sand, gravel, and minerals in the seabed imposes multidirectional effects on UCH. (mineral Source: UNESCO, UCH, 15 February 2023 SUSTAINABLE OCEAN ECONOMY AND BLUE ECONOMY According to the World Bank's report, the blue economy is defined as the "sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem." Blue Economy is an economy that "comprises a range of economic sectors and related policies that determine whether the use of ocean resources is sustainable” (According to the United Nations). Table 2 presents the definitions of the sustainable ocean economy and blue economy (Sumaila et al. 2020) Table 2 Definitions of the sustainable ocean economy and blue economy (Sumaila et al. 2020) Asian Development Bank “The economic, societal, and environmental derive economic activity from the ocean.'' Center for the Blue Economy “It uses three related but distinct meanings: (i) the overall contribution of the ocean to economies, (ii) the need to address the environmental and ecological sustainability of the oceans, and (iii) the ocean economy as a growth opportunity for both developed and developing countries." Economist Intelligence Unit “A sustainable ocean economy emerges when economic activity is in balance with the long-term capacity of ocean ecosystems to support this activity and remain resilient and healthy." Economic Cooperation Development and “The ocean economy can be defined as the sum of the economic activities of ocean-based industries and the assets, goods, and services of marine ecosystems." United Nations Development Program “Protecting, preserving, and restoring ocean resources while increasing the economic activity derived from the ocean." World Bank “The sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth and improved livelihoods and jobs while preserving the health of the ocean ecosystem." “A sustainable blue economy provides social and economic benefits for current and future generations; restores, protects, and maintains diverse, productive, and resilient ecosystems; and is based on clean technologies, renewable energy, and circular material flows." Worldwide Fund for Nature 3 �Ocean economy or sustainable blue economy can be enhanced by regional collaboration in Sustainable Ocean Governance (Sumaila et al. 2020). Table 3 describes the Regional Collaboration in Sustainable Ocean Governance. Table 3 Regional Collaboration in Sustainable Ocean Governance (Sumaila et al. 2020) Region Sustainable ocean management (Initiative/Strategy) Africa “African Union’s Blue Economy Strategy United Nations Economic Commission for Africa’s Blue Economy Regional Action Plan” Asia “Asia Development Bank’s Action Plan for Healthy Oceans and Sustainable Blue Economies. Indonesia’s Sustainable Oceans Programme” Baltic Sea Baltic Sea Initiative Europe EU’s Blue economics initiative g Indian Ocean Indian ocean rim association’s blue economy declaration Pacific Ocean Pacific Regional of Oceanscape Program BLUE ECONOMY Oceans are the most expensive ecosystem and a vast economic system and network - a blue economy. Our oceans cover 97% of the world’s water resources, and globally, the blue economy has enormous potential and is an emerging economy. It includes all commercial and economic activities related to oceans, seas, and coastal zones in a broad perspective, regardless of whether the activities occur on the sea or land. To develop the blue economy, we must address the issue of the significant bottleneck toward the sustainability of the blue economy in the global context. Table 4 presents the factors influencing the blue economy. Table 4 Summarizes the factors influencing the blue economy. Factors Affecting the blue economy Description Disasters The blue economy is negatively impacted yearly by natural disasters.  These include Cyclones, hurricanes, Tsunamis, and typhoons.  These disasters damage properties and take the lives of thousands of people. Sea-based terror activities Terrorism, robbery, piracy, trafficking of drugs and humans, illegal arms trade, illegal trade of crude oil, smuggling of drugs, etc. Man-made issues These include problems such as oil spills, war, and aggression, etc. Climate condition The impact of present climatic conditions on the marine ecosystem is immense. Increase of acidity in oceans, unnatural changes in sea temperatures, etc. These negatively affect the oceanic habitat, marine resources, and people that are dependent on them. Marine pollution This includes dumping untreated sewage, runoff from agriculture, microplastic pollution, solid waste disposal, etc. The excess nutrients from waste lead to problems such as low dissolved oxygen levels in the water. Vulnerable resources, such as corals, fish species, etc., are threatened. Unsustainable use of marine resources Use of marine resources in an Unregulated, illegal, and unsustainable manner. 4 �OCEAN GOVERNANCE Ocean governance includes the policy, rules, regulations, affairs, and actions towards sustainable use of ocean resources and to conserve its ecosystems. (Balgos et al. 2015; Stephenson et al. 2019). Considering these challenges is constitutive to developing proper governance towards developing marine ecosystems and improving sustainability leading to protecting UCH (Alexander and Haward 2019). Haas et al. (2021) derived from the SDGs three significant risks in the context of ocean governance as follows: 1. The consequence of the unmanaged use of ocean resources (SDG12, SDG14, SDG16) 2. Improper allocations of access to the benefits from the ocean ecosystem e.g., gender inequalities and technology transfer (SDG1, SDG8, SDG10, SDG16) 3. Lack of awareness of adaptation to changing ocean conditions (SDG1, SDG13, SDG11, SDG16). With the view of the UN SDG goal and for the sake of ocean sustainability, it is rational to jointly work with all nations to protect the ocean environment and biodiversity, leading to sustainable use of ocean resources. OCEAN POLICY CONTEXT As the twenty-first century has progressed the cumulative impacts of unmanaged resource consumption and the exponential growth of the global population are the red alert towards the long-term sustainability of marine biodiversity and the sustainable use of their invaluable resources. There has been an international focus on the maritime context over the past few decades, and we must maintain that motivation. The ocean policy provides strength to protect marine biodiversity and resources, improve coastal economies, preserve UCH, and manage sustainable uses and access. Worldwide few major Nationals have adopted the marine policy for the sake of sustainable development of the ocean, presented in Table 5 (Kaczynski 2011; Wlodzimierz 2011). Table 5 Marine policy directions adopted by major nations (Kaczynski 2011; Wlodzimierz 2011) Country Source Significant policy directions/measures USA Marine education, policy, marine resource, ocean water, and ocean economic Japan Ocean resource, Coastal zone management, conservation of remote islands, Ocean environment, Marine transportation, and Marine security, Carrying R&D and survey for better ocean management. Canada Marine sustainable development, ocean ecosystems, Ocean science development China Ocean-related policy and rights, Conservation of the marine ecosystem, Marine resources, Integrated governance of ocean Korea Secure the ocean environment, protection of the ocean environment, and training of the marine specialists 5 �SYNERGETIC MANAGEMENT STRATEGY TO ENHANCE THE OCEAN BLUE ECONOMY MCH or UCH is closely related to SDG 14, that life below water is a crucial goal of the 2030 global agenda with its stated aim to synergetic management strategy towards sustainable oceans management and sustainable development while, more specifically, a concern with the blue economy in the ocean context. Not only that, but instead, we depend upon ocean ecosystems. Worldwide damaging marine biodiversity and degrading MCH result from sustained human action over millennia. The benefits and advantages provided by the ocean are being eroded rapidly. Figure 1 presents a typical image of marine ecosystems and the general economic benefits and services they provide to global communities (Barbier 2017). Figure 1 Marine ecosystems and economic benefits (Barbier 2017). To enhance the blue economy, all the stakeholders must jointly collaborate to implement ocean policy and governance and step forward to protect MCH and ocean ecosystems; these are the significant elements of the blue ocean economy. As per UNESCO, we must address the six measures to protect UCH, such as i) Awareness Raising Material, ii) Practical Measures of Protection, iii) Contribute to the Fund, iv) Model Implementation Law, v) Ratify the 2001 Convention vi) State Cooperation Mechanism. A synergetic management strategy properly enhances the blue economy to harmonize marine culture development, protect ocean resources, and restore marine biodiversity. (Guilan and Weiwei 2021) Proposed solutions to protect maritime cultural heritage and marine development are presented in Table 6. 6 �Table 6 Solutions to be coordinated between MCH protection and marine development (Guilan and Weiwei 2021) Correlation aspects MCH Protection Marine Development Spatial planning Where is the potential MCH area and MCH protection area? How to include MCH areas in marine spatial planning? Environmental standard What kind of preserved environment is required for MCH with different materials Is there any discharge that will pollute or damage MCH? Management coordination Preserve in situ or excavation and salvage? How to coordinate the schedules of a marine development projection? Laws and policies Are the impacts on marine development activities taken into account? Are the MCH protective provisions fully included? A synergetic management strategy for the ocean environment and economy aims to account for global communities' vast environmental, social, and economic challenges. Unmanaged utilization of ocean resources increases anthropogenic and ecological pressures. This paper highlighted the significant bottleneck towards the development of the blue economy (Table 3). To develop the blue economy, the integration of MCH (MCH) into marine policy has been deemed necessary, and it is part of the blue economy. CONCLUSION The Blue economy has enormous potential to encompass and improve social well-being and sustainability in the ocean context. The risks are close if the uncontrolled uses of ocean resources and coasts continue to be used mainly for commercial and trading purposes. The concept of the blue economy should address the issues and give direction on how cultural heritage can be used sustainably in the coastal and marine sectors. On the other hand, the creative economy is not directly concerned with the blue economy but directly linked with the maritime cultural heritage. In turn, the protection of cultural heritage enhances the blue economy. By 2030, ocean protection areas will be expected to expand from 11 per cent to 30 per cent. At the global level, ocean resources and the sustainability of the blue economy are also coming into focus; it would be a significant area with the green deal. Sustainable approaches to ocean management that can address these cumulative pressures have been the focus of considerable research and agency action. To achieve SDGs goal 14 (sustainable use of the oceans) and conservation of marine biodiversity, stakeholder initiatives, policy formation, and transboundary cooperation are extremely important. It requires disruptive approaches to eliminate marine pollution and conserve marine ecosystems and heritage to enhance the blue economy at the global level, in turn leading to improved sustainable development. ACKNOWLEDGMENT We would like to extend our sincere thanks and gratitude to the Head, Members, Organizers, and Colleagues of the Asia Pacific Conference on UCH for providing us with an excellent platform to exchange our views and ideas and enhance knowledge through this conference with experts from different locations of the globe. We are also grateful to our university and institutions in India for their generous support, motivation, and contributions to our research. We are delighted to be part of the conference and have aspired to remain attached to the organization of “Asia Pacific Conference on UCH” in the future to conduct collaborative research to improve the sustainability of UCH. 7 �. Dr. Bishnu Pada Bose Professor School of Engineering Department of Civil Engineering Swami Vivekananda University Kolkata, India Ms. Debashruti Bose Symbiosis School of International Studies Symbiosis International University Pune, India Ms. Diptasri Ghosh Department of Electrical Engineering Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad, India BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Alexander, K. A., & Haward, M. The human side of marine ecosystem-based management (EBM):‘Sectoral interplay as a challenge to implementing EBM. Marine Policy, 101, (2019): 33-38. 2. Balgos, M. C., Cicin-Sain, B., & VanderZwaag, D. L. A comparative analysis of ocean policies in fifteen nations and four regions. In Routledge Handbook of National and Regional Ocean Policies Routledge. (2015): 3-48). 3. Barbier, E. B. Marine ecosystem services. Current Biology 27, no. 11, (2017): R507-R510. 4. Bigagli, E. The international legal framework for the management of the global oceans social-ecological system. 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The UN Decade of ocean science for sustainable development. Frontiers in Marine Science 6, (2019): 470. 25. Small, C., & Nicholls, R. J. A global analysis of human settlement in coastal zones. Journal of coastal research, (2003): 584-599. 26. Smith, H. D., & Couper, A. D. The management of the UCH. Journal of Cultural Heritage 4, no. 1 (2003): 25-33. 27. Stephenson, R. L., Hobday, A., Cvitanovic, C., Fudge, M., Ward, T., Butler, I., & Vince, J. Report of Workshops on integrated management of marine activities.(2019). 28. Sumaila, U. R., Walsh, M., Hoareau, K., Cox, A., Abdallah, P., Akpalu, W.& Sack, K. Ocean Finance: Financing the transition to a sustainable ocean economy. World Resources Institute.(2020). 29. Vignudelli, S., Birol, F., Benveniste, J., Fu, L. L., Picot, N., Raynal, M., & Roinard, H. Satellite altimetry measurements of sea level in the coastal zone. Surveys in Geophysics 40, (2019): 1319-1349. 30. Wlodzimierz, K. The Future of the Blue Economy: Lessons for the European Union. Foundations of Management 3, no. 1, (2011): 21-32. 9 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2023 Session 25: Environmental implications of underwater cultural heritage degradation and the conservation of marine ecosystems Subject The topic of the resource Session 25 papers Description An account of the resource Papers presented at Session 25 of the 2023 Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Museum of Underwater Archaeology Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 2023 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Language A language of the resource English Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Synergetic management strategy toward sustainable use of ocean resources and enhancing blue economy Description An account of the resource As intensified anthropogenic activities and altered global climate systems impose cumulative pressures on marine biodiversity, their potential to provide tangible and intangible benefits to people and the planet might decrease, causing degrading maritime heritage. The marine environment considers a precious heritage of the global community. A healthy marine environment can boost the resilience of marine heritage. On the other side, the blue economy in the ocean context is strongly gaining international importance. Blue economy cooperation at both global and regional levels will develop a common concept of marine ecosystems and protect underwater marine heritage. The worldwide ocean covers 71% of Earth's surface area. It is expected to become the great economic frontier in the coming future, with tremendous potential for resource generation and development across multidirectional segments. As the oceans are vast and particularly sensitive to ocean trades, coastal economics, marine heritage, and ecosystems need to be preserved, and a balance between trade and commerce and the conservation of the marine ecosystems and heritage must be found. Worldwide, 80% of global trade is achieved using the seas, and 40% of the global population lives near coastal zones. It has been estimated that the annual gross revenue from marine products (GMP) is US$2.5 trillion, and the total value of the ocean resources is at least US$24 trillion; also, the ocean economy is capable of providing a livelihood for over 3 billion people. Pursuing the blue economy sustainably is essential to optimize mutual benefit for the well-being of people and the planet. To enhance the blue economy, we must focus on achieving SDGs goal 14, conserving the maritime cultural heritage and ocean biodiversity. At the same time, stakeholder initiatives, policy formation, and transboundary cooperation are significant. It requires disruptive approaches to eliminate marine pollution and conserve marine ecosystems and heritage to enhance the blue economy at the global level. This paper discusses the threat to underwater cultural heritage caused by anthropogenic sources. It discusses ocean governance, policies, and the proposal to protect marine ecosystems, conserve maritime heritage, and enhance the blue economy. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Bishnu Pada Bose Debashruti Bose Diptasri Ghosh Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Museum of Underwater Archaeology Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2023 Language A language of the resource English Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Bose, Bishnu Pada , Debashruti Bose, and Diptasri Ghosh. 2023. “Synergetic management strategy toward sustainable use of ocean resources and enhancing blue economy.” Edited by Jennifer Craig, Jay Mok, T. Kurt Knoerl, and Bishnu Pada Bose. Proceedings of Fifth Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Gwangju, The Republic of Korea, November 13-18 2023. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology. URL: https://apconf.omeka.net/exhibits/show/apconfproceedings/item/1971 Asia-Pac Session 25 2023 https://apconf-much.org/proceedings/files/original/50a6ebaedfbb04f8fdaf5f0392f860b0.pdf 6512df859210b201a29fa40dbe801fff PDF Text Text The Fates of Hepingdao and Dashawan: Challenges of coastal archaeological sites in northern Taiwan Ellen Hsieh (Deputy Director, National Tsing Hua University, Research Center for Underwater Archaeology and Underwater Cultural Heritage) ABSTRACT Although an in-situ exhibition after an excavation is ideal for public archaeology, it is also challenging for several reasons. This paper compares the cultural heritage management of two coastal archaeological sites in Keelung, northern Taiwan, from excavation to presentation to the public. In 2019, archeologists funded by the government excavated the remaining structures of a seventeenth-century Spanish church at Hepingdao and those of a nineteenth-century Chinese fort at Dashawan. Together, these sites reflect the rich history of Keelung and the dynamics of regional maritime history, as the church is the only tangible cultural heritage of the Spanish colonial period in Taiwan (1626-1642), and the fort is the only excavated archaeological site associated with the Sino-French War (1884-1885). Moreover, the prehistoric and protohistoric cultural layers in both sites provide critical data regarding how indigenous communities used marine resources and participated in maritime networks. Although both sites were designated municipal archaeological sites after the excavations, different arrangements were made: the trenches at Hepingdao remain open, and an in-situ exhibition center is planned, whereas the archeological discovery of the Dashawan fort has been backfilled, even though the archaeologist also promoted an in-situ exhibition strategy. This paper analyzes the environmental and social factors considered and the consequences of the subsequent arrangements from site preservation and public archaeology perspectives. Keywords: maritime archaeology, cultural heritage management, public archaeology, site preservation LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Locations of Hepingdao, Dashawan, and Keelung City Center Figure 2 Hepingdao B Site under the temporary tent Figure 3 Dashawan Site after backfill INTRODUCTION In-situ exhibitions are ideal for public archaeology once sites with significant educational and economic values have been recognized. In contrast to backfilling the site or moving the unique structure to another place, an in-situ exhibition maintains the integrity and authenticity of the site. Visitors can study archaeological methods and theory at the same time as they view structures and artifacts. Tourism and other indirect profits usually carry a certain weight in decision-making (Murray 1980; Gogová 2016). However, this strategy also faces various practical challenges, ranging from conservation technology to climate (Lu 1993; Doumas 1998). This paper analyses the decision-making and the consequences of managing two archaeological sites along the coast of Keelung, Hepingdao (HPD) and Dashawan (DSW), in northern Taiwan. Both sites contain multicultural layers, from the Neolithic period to the twentieth-century Japanese colonial period. The highlight of Hepingao is the foundation of Todos los Santos Church, the first Christian monument built during the Spanish colonial period (1626-1642); the latter site features the remaining structure of the Dashawan Fort, a battlefield of the Sino-French War (1884-1885). Both excavations were conducted in the same year, and both were funded by the government. However, very different arrangements were made for each site, as the site at Hepingao was slated for an in-situ exhibition while that at Dashawan was backfilled to resemble an untouched state. These decisions, influenced by the coastal environment, archaeological findings, and local contexts, had different influences on the two sites and the public visiting them. Aligned with the main thrust of Session 13, the environment emerged as one of the most critical decision-making factors in both cases. 1 �CASE STUDIES Between 2017 and 2021, Keelung City Government received a grant from the Minister of Culture's 'Regeneration of Historic Sites' program and conducted a project called 'Grand Keelung Historical Site Reconstruction Integration Plan.' The excavations of HPD and DSW between 2019 and 2020 were the only archaeological excavations among the fifty-three sub-projects under this umbrella (Keelung City Government n.d.). The two sites are located east of the present city center: HPD is a small island off Keelung, at the mouth of the port, and DSW falls between HPD and the city center (Figure 1). This was the first time that the Keelung City Government supported large-scale archaeology projects. In both cases, some structures had been identified in previous studies, but not enough information was known to reveal the whole structure nor to evaluate the historical and cultural value of the site. The grant provided unique opportunities for archaeologists to enhance their understanding of these sites. Figure 1 Locations of Hepingdao, Dashawan, and Keelung City Center 2 �Hepingdao Archaeological Site (HPD) Hepingdao, or the island named Heping (meaning peace), was once the earliest location of 'Keelung' in historical records. However, it had been neglected for decades after the current city center was developed. The HPD archaeology project no doubt uncovered a Golden Age of the island. There are three targeted locations in the HPD Archaeology project. Location A is at the shipyard of the CSBC Corporation, and it is the potential location of the Spanish Fort San Salvador. Due to the restrictions of the current shipyard, no excavation could have been conducted. Location B is in a parking lot, a small piece of land that has escaped heavy development on the island, and has been in excavations since 2011, while Location C was recently discovered in the middle of the 2019-2020 season. This paper focuses on Location B in reference to 'Hepingdao Site (HPD). In 2019-2020, the HPD Archaeology project conducted by National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) continued excavations based on the results of previous small projects and revealed most of the remaining foundation of the Todos los Santos Church. The orientation of the structure, the shape of the apse, and the size of the building were clarified for the first time. The church faces southwest toward the seashore, and the thirty-meter-long ruin suggests that the original building could have been up to fifty meters in length. In addition, burials were discovered inside and outside the church. Most individuals were found in a praying posture, clearly associated with the church and the earliest Catholic mission in Taiwan (Tsang, Hsieh, and Cruz Berrocal 2021). In addition to Spanish colonial history, this excavation uncovered the longue durée history of human activities on the island in trenches less than two meters deep. The Yuanshan cultural layer (3500-2000 B.P.) contained jade ornaments and tools from the east coast of Taiwan, suggesting a connection to the early networks surrounding Taiwan Island. The rich marine animal bones and associated fishing tools also provide clues about maritime culture and human impacts on ecosystems. The Metal Age Shihsanhang cultural layer (2000 B.P.- 400 B.P.) contained glass beads that reflect the maritime exchange networks in Asian waters. The latest phase of this period would be directly connected to the Basay indigenous people who actively interacted with the Europeans during the early modern period. Finally, the remains of the dormitories of the shipyard employees during the Japanese period were also documented. In short, the discoveries in HPD reflect northern Taiwan's diverse and rich maritime history (Tsang, Hsieh, and Cruz Berrocal 2021; Cruz Berrocal et al. 2020; Cruz Berrocal et al. 2018). The PIs of the HPD archaeology project recognized the value of the site for exhibition and suggested keeping the trench open after the excavation. This included the remaining church foundation and burial pits, some Japanese structures that cut through or connected with the Spanish walls, a few Qing Dynasty stone pavements and post holes outside the church, and a portion of the Neolithic archaeological layer inside the church. The trenches with the above features thus were not fully excavated. The Keelung City Cultural Affairs Bureau initiated a plan for an on-site exhibition center. Further, it evaluated the potential of creating a Hepingdao Archaeology Park, integrating most of the cultural and natural heritage on the island. Dashawan Archaeological Site (DSW) Dashawan, meaning 'the great sandy bay,' is opposite the Zhongzheng District Office and beside a busy road. According to historical documents, the Qing government built a fort on the flat area of Dashawan in the 1840s. Called 'La Galissonnière Fort' or 'Fort Neuf' in some French records, the fort did not leave many traces in historical documents. However, as the main battlefield of the Sino-French War, which led to the establishment of Taiwan as an independent province of Qing China, the site's historical value is unquestionable. After the war, the governor changed his defense strategy and built new forts on the hills of Keelung. As a result, Dashawan Fort, already heavily damaged during the war, was abandoned. During the Japanese period, the area was developed as a public recreational beach, thus further destroying the remaining structures. The region's landscape changed again after the local government filled the beach for the port facilities. Before the 2019-2020 excavation conducted by Long Men Archaeo Company (LMAC), the few portions of walls still standing and visible on the surface (some even merged with local residential houses) were insufficient for scholars to understand 3 �the original design of the fort. Only one portion of a wall, three meters high and two meters wide, is visible to the public. The view to the water is blocked by the Eastern Container Port Terminal. The new excavation found more surviving structures of the site and revealed the impressive earthwork below the observable structure, including rammed earth, iron bars, and wooden piles. With further historical research, the original size of the fort was determined to be 50 meters long and 16.4 meters wide. Moreover, like the case of HPD, archaeologists found remains before and after the Qing occupation. These range from prehistoric materials traced back to the Shuntangpu Culture (4500-3500 B.P.) to Japanese toilet remains (Lu 2021). Based on the unique findings at Dashawan, the archaeologist also suggested exhibiting the revealed structure in situ in the future. However, the site was backfilled at the end of the project. Since 2021, the Keelung City Government has tidied up the area where one small portion of the Dashawan walls is visible and grouped it with other nearby historical monuments, including the French Cemetery, the Fortress Commander's Residence, and the dormitories of the Fortress Command (some also recently reconstructed with the same funding source as the excavation). Together, these formed the Dashawn History Cultural Park. From an academic viewpoint, the discoveries of the two sites are equally important and worth displaying for public education. However, the resulting arrangements of the two sites were quite different, directly influencing the site's future. What were the main factors considered in this division-making process? Moreover, how would these policies impact the site's preservation and public archaeology? RESOURCES The resources available to conduct this research include the final reports of the two archaeological sites, government media, and records of the meetings relating to the site management, which are all open to the public. Furthermore, as one of the PIs of the Hepingdao archaeological project and a council member of the archaeological review committee of Keelung City, the author participated in the discussion about the Hepingdao site and attended some meetings for the Dashawan Site. In addition, the author interviewed several stakeholders, including locals who lived next to the sites. FRAMEWORK The Keelung City government only had a little experience in archaeological site management before the excavations of HPD and DSW. Nevertheless, the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Keelung City, as the competent authority of archaeological sites based on the revision of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act in 2012, actively developed the sites. The nomination of the two cases as municipal archaeological sites and the plans for their integration into the public sites mentioned above happened even before the final archaeological reports were submitted. Most discussions regarding the future of the sites went beyond academic perspectives. Impact factors Environmental issues Located in a rainy city where people need umbrellas during two third of the year, the yearly average pH scales of the rain in the past twenty years were always below 5.0, and the relative humidity is consistently above 70 percent, an in-situ exhibition plan is generally challenging due to the expectable water damage. In addition, the coastal environments make the task even more difficult. The main structures at the two sites were both built close to the original seashore, and the locations today still belong to the tsunami risk area. Although the current distance between the HPD site and the present 4 �coastline is shorter than the case of DSW (150 meters and 200 meters, respectively), the location of the former is relatively higher (12 meters and 4 meters above sea level, respectively) and safe. Furthermore, the stone foundation in HPD stands on the bedrock of the island, whereas the earthen foundation in DSW sits on the original beach over a thin layer of artificial clay. The excellent condition of the skeletons found in HPD testified that the site's environment is relatively stable. On the other hand, the earthen structure discovered at DSW is 60-150cm below the surface, where underground water threatened the trenches during the excavation. In short, compared with HPD, the location of DSW and the materiality of the underground structure make it extremely challenging to arrange an in-situ exhibition. Consolidating the deep sandy trench would not be an easy task, and the change of humidity and salinity might threaten the stability of the structure. One church, many forts The uniqueness of the finding is another consideration for the policymakers, especially when the budget is limited. Because the city is located at a strategic point in Taiwan, fortresses are the primary monument type. Although the archaeologist highlighted that the DSW fort is one of the earliest Qing forts, the only fort located on the beach and not modified by later political powers, and the only fort of this type studied by archaeological methods, its educational and recreational value is not apparent for the non-professionals. On the other hand, the remaining Todos los Santos church and burial pits are easy to recognize and understand. Although most Taiwanese are not Christian, the discovery of the church not only surprised the Catholic communities in Taiwan but also raised general curiosity. It is the first church in Taiwan and the only tangible cultural heritage of Spanish colonial history. Although both HPD and DSW are sites with multiple cultural layers, the latter only showcased the Qing military structure. In contrast, the features of various periods displayed at HPD could attract visitors with a variety of interests and demonstrate the complex findings in a historical archaeology site. Public awareness Promotion of the site was part of the contract in both cases, and NTHU and LMAC fulfilled these requirements differently. The excavation of DSW was out of the public eye. After the dig, the LMAC team invited historians and archaeologists, hosted a series of professional lectures for the public, and published the content of academic presentations. In contrast, since the beginning of the excavation, the NTHU team saw the excavation of HPD as an excellent opportunity for archaeology outreach and student training and promoted the site through various open archaeology events and social media. After the structure of the church foundation was fully revealed, the site served as the mayor's reception room, and even the president was invited to visit. In addition, an introductory book was published in a tone for a more public than academic audience. All these efforts made the public more aware of HPD than DSW. In addition, for the government, backfilling HPD and withdrawing the site's former function as a parking lot were likely to cause much public grievance. No similar complaints would have arisen at DSW. Consequences Based on the above factors, it is understandable that HPD became the preferred location for an in-situ exhibition rather than DSW. Today, the trenches of HPD are still open, and the plan for the exhibition center is ongoing (Figure 2), including rescue archaeology for the placement of the pillars that will support the center of the building. In contrast, although the environment around the Dashawan ruins has been beautified, the landscape features remain the same as before the excavation (Figure 3). These arrangements led to different consequences regarding the preservation and public archaeology of the sites.     5 �Figure 2 Hepingdao Site under the current tent Figure 3 Dashawan Site after backfill     6 �Site preservation Site preservation decisions are related to the protection of archaeological structures. Backfilling offers the most protection, while an in-situ exhibition requires treatments that assist in preserving the site. Although the decision to create an in-situ exhibition of HPD quickly gained general agreement, preserving the open-air trenches took more work than expected. The change in the site is visible: the exposed bedrock quickly weathered, and the geological joints faded away. The walls of the trenches, especially the backfill portions made by previous excavation seasons, have partially collapsed. Under the extremely wet climate, soil consolidation is urgent for the site; however, the cost is unaffordable for the local government. A solid tent with an award-winning design replaced the previous one for the Keelung City Expo, but it is not wide enough. The pouring rain still resulted in the corner of the structure being inevitably occupied by moss and weeds. The idea of filling the site and opening it again was brought out once, but there would be a risk of damaging the site during the process. Moreover, an additional considerable expense was needed for this proposal. The discussion and action around conservation have been slow compared with other actions. A microclimate monitoring system will be set up in mid-2023 to collect data for future decisions. The forthcoming exhibition building, designed to transfer the site into an indoor exhibition, should slow the weathering process. An active environmental control strategy should be integrated into the design (Luo et al. 2015). In contrast, for the DSW site, the LMAC team had provided three preservation strategies: fully backfill, partially backfill, and total exposure for exhibition. The final decision to fully backfill was recognized as a low-impact method for the site. However, the archaeologist noted that the wooden piles in the structure would still eventually corrode under the current environment. In addition, weeds, acid rain, and air pollution from heavy traffic would still cause biological and chemical weathering of the structure on the ground. Public Archaeology Public archaeology hopes to engage the public in the value of archaeology and local history. Despite its preservation challenges, visual and physical access to the results of excavation support this goal and offer other community benefits. As an open site with easy access, public archaeology events hosted by different stakeholders, including government, scholars, and local NGOs, continue happening at HPD, creating various conversations and narratives. The site has become a popular attraction in Keelung, promising economic value for the local government, who even foresee that the archaeology park can push private sectors to help renew the cityscape. However, the rotation of political parties brings some uncertainty to site management, and the new government incumbent in 2023 still needs to take responsibility for the site. In DSW, since the trenches were never visible to the public, the idea of an in-situ exhibition hardly reached a greater audience. The government nevertheless spent many resources to enhance the cityscape of the DSW area, and the remaining fort structure was integrated into the new plan. However, the small wall is overshadowed by other historical buildings and colorful modern artworks, and the tiny information board does not draw much attention from visitors. The fort's potential economic value then was hard to evaluate. After the temporary events are finished, the site remains quiet. Although opening the site again once the government terminates the current Container Port Terminal has been proposed by urban designers, there is no timeline for such a dreamy plan; thus, changing the site's status is not a priority for the government. CONCLUDING REMARKS This comparative study provides insights into the balance between site preservation and public archaeology. From the viewpoint of preservation, restoring the site to make it close to its pre-excavated condition, like what has been practiced for most underwater archaeological features, might be the best way to protect the site. However, making the sites accessible to the public has 7 �various advantages in terms of public education, tourism, and promoting the discipline. Moreover, these case studies also illustrate that the relationships between archaeology and urban development are not always conflicting. HPD and DSW are equally invaluable for academia, but various natural and social factors have led to different fates of the sites. What we can learn from these cases is that a better preservation plan is needed, especially when working in the coastal region. The decision to establish an in-situ exhibition could not be easily made due to its high cost, but there are other ways to enhance the site's accessibility and sustainability. For example, 3D documentation and virtual exhibitions have provided new experiences for appreciating archaeological sites, although the lack of authenticity is still debatable. What is critical is to keep the discussion going. HPD and DSW should be situated in a connected relationship rather than a competing one. Since the prehistoric period, the development of the two areas jointly tells the remarkable history of Keelung. The future HPD exhibition center could be transformed into a space that represents the region's maritime history and incorporates resources from the greater area.      BIBLIOGRAPHY Cruz Berrocal, María , Elena Serrano Herrero, Marc Gener Moret, Antonio Uriarte González, Mar Torra Pérez, Susana Consuegra Rodríguez, Alexandre Chevalier, Frederique Valentin, and Cheng-hwa Tsang. 2018. "A Comprised Archaeological History of Taiwan through the Long-Term Record of Heping Dao, Keelung." International Journal of Historical Archaeology 22:905-940. Cruz Berrocal, María , Elena Serrano, Frederique Valentin, Cheng-hwa Tsang, Amaya Gorostiza, Elena Campoy, Rui Pereira, Antonio González Martín, and Karsten Bracker. 2020. "The Study of European Migration in Asia-Pacific During the Early Modern Period: San Salvador de Isla Hermosa (Keelung, Taiwan)." International Journal of Historical Archaeology 24:233-283. Doumas, Christos. 1998. "Excavation and rescue operations: what to preserve and why." Museum International 50 (2):6-9. Gogová, Stanislava. 2016. "In fondo and in situ archaeology presentation in Slovakia." European Journal of Science and Theology 12:245-252. Keelung City Government. n.d. "About https://greatkeelung.klcg.gov.tw/en/Index. Keelung: Project Introduction." accessed April 22nd. Lu, Li-cheng. 1993. Conservation and Educational Exhibition of Archaeological Site Park. Taitung: National Museum of Prehistory Planning Bureau. Lu, Tai-long. 2021. Final Report: The Dashawa stone structure archaeological project. Keelung City Cultural Affair Bureau. Luo, Xilian, Zhaolin Gu, Tianyu Li, Xiangzhao Meng, Tao Ma, and Chuck Yu. 2015. "Environmental control strategies for the in situ preservation of unearthed relics in archaeology museums." Journal of Cultural Heritage 16 (6):790-797. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.culher.2015.03.013. Murray, Jeffrey S. 1980. "The Exhibition of In Situ Archaeological Features for Public Interpretation." Canadian Journal of Archaeology / Journal Canadien d’Archéologie (4):173-179. Tsang, Cheng-hwa, Ellen Hsieh, and María Cruz Berrocal. 2021. Final report: Fort San Salvador and Todos Los Santos Church Archaeological Project (HPD-B Site). Keelung. 8 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2023 Session 25: Environmental implications of underwater cultural heritage degradation and the conservation of marine ecosystems Subject The topic of the resource Session 25 papers Description An account of the resource Papers presented at Session 25 of the 2023 Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Museum of Underwater Archaeology Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 2023 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Language A language of the resource English Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource The Fates of Hepingdao and Dashawan: Challenges of coastal archaeological sites in northern Taiwan Description An account of the resource Although an in-situ exhibition after an excavation is ideal for public archaeology, it is also challenging for several reasons. This paper compares the cultural heritage management of two coastal archaeological sites in Keelung, northern Taiwan, from excavation to presentation to the public. In 2019, archeologists funded by the government excavated the remaining structures of a seventeenth-century Spanish church at Hepingdao and those of a nineteenth-century Chinese fort at Dashawan. Together, these sites reflect the rich history of Keelung and the dynamics of regional maritime history, as the church is the only tangible cultural heritage of the Spanish colonial period in Taiwan (1626-1642), and the fort is the only excavated archaeological site associated with the Sino-French War (1884-1885). Moreover, the prehistoric and protohistoric cultural layers in both sites provide critical data regarding how indigenous communities used marine resources and participated in maritime networks. Although both sites were designated municipal archaeological sites after the excavations, different arrangements were made: the trenches at Hepingdao remain open, and an in-situ exhibition center is planned, whereas the archeological discovery of the Dashawan fort has been backfilled, even though the archaeologist also promoted an in-situ exhibition strategy. This paper analyzes the environmental and social factors considered and the consequences of the subsequent arrangements from site preservation and public archaeology perspectives Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Ellen Hsieh Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Museum of Underwater Archaeology Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2023 Language A language of the resource English Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Hsieh, Ellen . 2023. “The Fates of Hepingdao and Dashawan: Challenges of coastal archaeological sites in northern Taiwan.” Edited by Jennifer Craig, Jay Mok, T. Kurt Knoerl, and Bishnu Pada Bose. Proceedings of Fifth Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Gwangju, The Republic of Korea, November 13-18 2023. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology. URL: https://apconf.omeka.net/exhibits/show/apconfproceedings/item/1972 Asia-Pac Session 25 2023 https://apconf-much.org/proceedings/files/original/1d236012350aed91906a0f28a6f47324.pdf 39ab5b1c5a83efd69b7f78ccea416091 PDF Text Text Symbiosis: Biodiversity Surveys on Archaeological Shipwreck Sites, Managing for a Better Future Vishmi Gunasinghe1, Chathurika Munasinghe2, Tharushi Pitigala3, Rasika Muthucumarana4, Anuradha Piyadasa5, Dharshana Jayawardena6 1 Ocean University of Sri Lanka, Instructor Department of Zoology, University of Peradeniya, Lecturer 3 Post Graduate Institute of Science, University of Peradeniya, Masters student 4 Maritime Archaeology Unit, Central Cultural Fund, Sri Lanka, Senior Archeological Officer 5 Institute of Archaeology and Heritage Studies, Sri Lanka, Director 6 Independent underwater explorer 2 ABSTRACT Preliminary surveys on the biological diversity of shipwrecks were started in 2018 with SS Sagaing, an iron wreck purposely sunk by the Sri Lanka Navy. The survey aimed to record the recruitment and colonization of marine organisms on the ship's surface, two months after it was re-sunk in Trincomalee harbor. This became the foundation for a new relationship between marine archaeology, marine biology, and information technology. The National Shipwreck Database of Sri Lanka (NSDSL) was established in 2021 as an online database providing details of known shipwrecks in Sri Lankan waters, preserving their heritage value for future generations. The database uses multimedia formats to present information in an interactive manner. Shipwrecks have multiple benefits, including serving as artificial reefs for marine life and attracting visitors for tourism. The data in the database is collected by the Maritime Archaeology Unit (MAU) of the Central Cultural Fund (CCF), with contributions from other sources such as professional divers and research institutes. The database contains information on 103 shipwrecks and 6 aircrafts. Shipwreck sites naturally become habitats for marine life and can become important biodiversity hotspots. To safeguard them and their ecosystems, archaeologists, scientists, and government/non-governmental agencies should collaborate. Preliminary research collected ecological baseline data on shipwrecks, which was added to the national shipwreck database. This initiates long-term monitoring of fish and fauna diversity on shipwrecks, guiding future protection and conservation efforts for these ecosystems. The result of this project unites diverse stakeholders together to facilitate dialogue and design collaborative approaches to get maximum benefits from each sector. The topic of this abstract fits best within Session 16 - Environmental implications of underwater cultural heritage (UCH) degradation and the conservation of marine ecosystems because it demonstrates a unique partnership of multidisciplinary stakeholders managing the environmental and safety risks associated with underwater cultural heritage. Keywords: Artificial reef, Shipwreck biodiversity, Marine ecotourism, Underwater cultural heritage LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS CCF Central Cultural Fund MAU Maritime Archeological Unit NSDSL National Shipwreck Database of Sri Lanka UCH Underwater Cultural Heritage LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. Map of locations of the shipwrecks in Sri Lankan waters Figure 2. SS Sagaing shipwreck before and after Figure 3. Bow of the wreck; Inside the wreck parts Figure 4. Map of the location of the SS Sagaing shipwreck Figure 5. School of Striped eel catfish occurred in the shipwreck site; Group of Five-line Snappers, (Lutjanus quinquelineatus); Fish school of Cardinal occurred in of SS Sagaing shipwreck 1 �INTRODUCTION The marine ecosystem is a complex and dynamic system that plays a vital role in supporting life on Earth. From the smallest plankton to the largest mammals, every organism within this ecosystem is interconnected and dependent on one another. Despite the importance of the marine ecosystem, it is under threat from a variety of factors, including overfishing, pollution and climate change. As we strive to understand and protect this vital system, one area of increasing interest is the role that shipwrecks play in supporting marine biodiversity. In this paper, we will explore the ecological significance and cultural heritage values of shipwrecks, with a focus on the efforts being made to conserve, protect and manage these sites in Sri Lanka for a better future. Shipwrecks serve as a unique window into the past, offering insights into the culture, technology, and trade practices of bygone eras. In addition to their cultural significance, shipwrecks also play a vital role in the marine ecosystem, acting as artificial reefs that provide habitats for marine organisms and create biodiversity hotspots. Over the years, shipwrecks have been studied from various angles, including marine archaeology, history, and ecology. However, a comprehensive understanding of the recruitment and colonisation of marine organisms on these structures was lacking until recently. The initial investigations into the ecological aspect of shipwrecks in Sri Lanka commenced in 2018 with the Sri Lanka Navy deliberately sinking SS Sagaing, an iron shipwreck partially destroyed in 1942, during World War II. After 76 years the wreck was raised by the Sri Lanka Navy, moved out of the harbour area, and re-sunk. SS Sagaing now lies at a depth of 10m (bow) – 20m (stern) about 100 m from ashore, north of Elephant Island, Trincomalee. This study marked the beginning of a new collaboration between marine archaeology, marine ecology, and information technology, aimed at understanding the recruitment and colonisation of marine organisms on shipwrecks. The National Shipwreck Database of Sri Lanka (NSDSL) was initiated by the Maritime Archaeology Unit (MAU) in 2021 under the Central Cultural Fund (CCF) to address the lack of comprehensive data on shipwreck sites across the country. This is an online database that provides a comprehensive repository of information on known shipwrecks in Sri Lankan waters, including their location, characteristics, and historical significance. This information can be used to guide decision-making related to the protection and conservation of shipwreck sites. The database uses multimedia formats to present the information interactively, making it accessible to a wider audience, including researchers, policymakers, students, tourists and anyone interested in the fascinating history and ecology of shipwrecks in Sri Lanka's waters. The data in the database is collected by the MAU of the CCF, with contributions from other sources such as professional divers and research institutes. Currently, the database contains details of 103 shipwrecks and 6 aircrafts. Figure 1 Map of the locations of the shipwrecks in Sri Lankan waters (NSDSL) 2 �Studying the SS Sagaing shipwreck site as a case study holds significant importance as it offers valuable insights into the intricate ecological interactions within shipwreck sites and their symbiotic relationships with marine biodiversity. Acquiring a deeper understanding of these interactions can inform future endeavours to conduct comprehensive biodiversity surveys and effectively manage archaeological sites, thereby conserving marine biodiversity more efficiently. Moreover, this study plays a pivotal role in the establishment of the National Shipwreck Database of Sri Lanka, contributing to the preservation of the heritage value associated with shipwrecks. Collaboration between Marine Archaeology and Marine Ecology: Unlocking the Cultural and Ecological Significance of Shipwrecks The integration of marine archaeology and marine ecology is vital in comprehending the cultural and ecological importance of shipwreck sites. The combination of archaeological and ecological data enables researchers and conservationists to gain a holistic understanding of the historical, cultural, and ecological significance of shipwrecks and their associated ecosystems. Currently, there are no existing platforms that seamlessly integrate cultural heritage and ecology, making the creation of a national shipwreck database incorporating ecological data a groundbreaking contribution. Such a centralized resource would facilitate the sustainable management and conservation of these sites, balancing their cultural significance while mitigating potential risks. Moreover, being an open-access database, it would foster knowledge sharing among stakeholders, including the general public. The database's information could also be utilized to develop engaging eco-tourism experiences, benefiting local communities and raising awareness about marine environment preservation. Furthermore, the ecological data collected from shipwreck sites can enable comparative analysis, identifying patterns in ecosystem recovery and biodiversity. These insights offer valuable information on the long-term ecological impacts of shipwrecks and the effectiveness of conservation measures. By merging these disciplines, we can better appreciate the value of these sites and work towards their preservation, while gaining profound insights into the dynamics of marine ecosystems. Exploring Biodiversity on the SS Sagaing Shipwreck The present study utilises the SS Sagaing shipwreck site as a case study to explore the symbiotic relationships of biodiversity with archaeological shipwreck sites. This case study provides a valuable opportunity to gain insight into the complex ecological interactions of shipwreck sites and can inform future efforts to conduct more thorough biodiversity surveys and manage these archaeological sites effectively to conserve marine biodiversity.  Figure 2 SS Sagaing shipwreck before and after (BBC News 2018) 3 �The SS Sargaing shipwreck is currently positioned at a maximum depth of 18m, outside the Trincomalee harbour, west of Elephant Island. It is one of five World War II wrecks in Sri Lanka which is diveable. According to the National Shipwreck Database (NSD) of Sri Lanka, this iron vessel weighed 7994t and was 138.56m (454.6ft) in length and 18.65m (61.2ft) in breadth was launched on 24 December 1924. The SS Sagaing was damaged by the second Japanese attack on Ceylon on 9th April 1942 but didn't sink. A year later, in August 1943, it was purposely sunk by the British Admiralty and a pier was created on top of the wreck. In 2018, the Sri Lankan Navy (SLN) salvaged and refloated it to the current location near Elephant Island to make a way for a new pier at its previous location (Jayawardena et al. 2018).  This site was chosen as a case study for this investigation due to its well-documented histories and the wealth of information available from previous research. By building on the knowledge gained from this study, the research team is better equipped to understand the ecological relationships and biodiversity present on all other shipwreck sites more broadly. Figure 3 Bow of the wreck (left); Inside the wreck part (right) During the first visit to the wreck a few months after it was re-sunk, Figure 03 was taken and the site was investigated for biodiversity and dive tourism value, including site planning. During the second visit in 2019, Figure 04 was taken and additional photo and video documentation was collected of both the wreck parts and the marine biodiversity present. Figure 4 Map of the location of the SS Sagaing shipwreck 4 �To update the archaeological site plan and locate areas for sampling, visual surveys were carried out prior to data collection. The 50m belt transect method and video census were then utilised to observe fish and other fauna species on the shipwreck's outer hull. Reef fish were surveyed using the Belt Transect method. A diver swam along a 50m fibreglass tape, recording fish within 2.5m on both sides of the tape, covering an area of 250 m². The survey area extended up to 5 m above the transects in terms of vertical elevation. Considerable diversity among fish was recorded by the survey of the SS Sagaing shipwreck. A total of 21 fish species were observed, with the regal demoiselle (Neopomacentrus cyanomos), ring-tailed cardinalfish (Apogon aureus), gold band fusilier (Pterocaesio chrysozona), scissortail fusilier (Caesio caerulaurea), and striped eel catfish (Plotosus lineatus) being the most dominant in the upper zone of the wreck. Planktivorous fish, such as the regal demoiselle and gold band fusilier, were the most abundant, followed by carnivorous fish, such as the striped eel catfish. The exterior metal surface was colonised by 16 different species, with oysters (Lopha sp.), bubble corals (Plerogyra sinuosa), and encrusting sponges (Clathria sp.) covering between 40% to 50% of the hull. The fish community around the SS Sagaing was similar to those found on natural hard substrates at similar depths, indicating a high recruitment rate for a recently scuttled ship (Munasinghe et al. 2018, 5-6). Figure 5 Fish school of Cardinal (Apogon sp.) occurred in of SS Sagaing shipwreck (bottom); School of Striped eel catfish occurred in the shipwreck site (top left); Group of Five-line Snappers, (Lutjanus quinquelineatus) (top right) RESOURCES Collaborating Institutions and Support To conduct comprehensive shipwreck biodiversity surveys, we are fortunate to have the involvement of various organisations and experts from different fields. The research and survey data utilised in this study are sourced from marine scientists and marine archaeologists. Notably, the Maritime Archaeology Unit of the Central Cultural Fund has generously provided essential diving equipment, underwater cameras, measuring instruments, and diving officers for the survey. LAMPstack software 5 �was utilised in the development of the NSDSL website, while the SPSS software will be used for conducting the biodiversity survey at each shipwreck site. For future diving and survey activities in rural areas, we plan to seek logistical support from the Sri Lanka Navy. Moreover, the surveys will benefit from the valuable contributions of marine scientists and undergraduate students representing the University of Peradeniya, Ocean University of Sri Lanka, and the University of Ruhuna. In addition to the above institutions, we are pleased to collaborate with the Ministry of Environment, the National Aquatic Resource and Development Agency (NARA), and the maritime affairs division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. These organisations bring their extensive knowledge in marine biology, ecology, and underwater cultural heritage management to analyse the collected data. By pooling together the resources, expertise, and contributions of these various institutions and stakeholders, we aim to conduct comprehensive shipwreck biodiversity surveys that encompass both scientific and archaeological perspectives. FRAMEWORK The research questions that guide this investigation are broad, including identifying key species, understanding how they interact, and investigating the environmental factors that influence their growth and distribution. Furthermore, the research team aims to investigate the relationship between shipwrecks and the associated species that reside in and around them. The research team will further investigate the favourable conditions that allow these species to thrive in the shipwreck environment. Visual surveys will be carried out prior to data collection. Fish, macro invertebrates, corals and macroalgae will be estimated by using 50m fibreglass tape. Fish and macroinvertebrates will be used by belt transect method and benthic survey will be carried out by point transect method (English et al 1997). Video census will then be utilised to observe fish and other fauna species on the shipwreck's outer hull. A diver will swim along a 50m fibreglass tape, recording fish within 2.5m on both sides of the tape, covering an area of 250 m². The survey area will extend up to 5 m above the transects in terms of vertical elevation. EXPECTED RESULTS AND DISCUSSION The study is expected to yield valuable insights into the biodiversity of shipwreck sites. It is likely that many more shipwreck sites will be identified in the future, which would benefit from similar surveys. The information gathered from these studies will be important in improving our understanding of these unique environments and will contribute to the creation and maintenance of a NSDSL. The data collected from the SS Sagaing shipwreck site will be used to establish a baseline for continued monitoring and conservation efforts, as well as to feed the National Shipwreck Database and improve future management decisions. Long-term monitoring of the ecological and biodiversity survey data will enable comparative analysis among sites to identify patterns in ecosystem recovery. Additionally, the long-term monitoring results will be used as baseline data for in-situ conservation of the coral and marine species associated with the shipwrecks.  The collaboration among archaeologists, environmental scientists, marine biologists, and various governmental and non-governmental agencies will be crucial in promoting the sustainable management and conservation of shipwreck sites and their associated marine ecosystems. They will work towards balancing their cultural significance and mitigating potential risks. The creation of a national shipwreck database, which includes ecological data collected through visual surveys, photo and video documentation, and specimen collection, will guide future efforts in enhancing in-situ 6 �protection and conservation of shipwreck ecosystems. This will contribute to the preservation of these historic and cultural resources while promoting scientific research, eco-tourism, and generating revenue for local communities. Although conducting research in underwater environments and collecting reliable data from archaeological sites pose significant challenges, the research team is confident in their approach and expertise. However, it should be noted that identifying fish and fauna using underwater photos and videos can be a time-consuming process that requires a high level of expertise and attention to detail. Finding individuals with the necessary qualifications and experience to undertake this work can be difficult, which adds an additional challenge to the research process. CONCLUSION In conclusion, future research on shipwrecks as cultural heritage sites and their relationship with biodiversity will continue to demonstrate the importance of sustainable management and conservation efforts, particularly given the potential for shipwrecks to serve as biodiversity hotspots. Ongoing collaboration between stakeholders will be necessary to address the benefits and challenges of managing shipwreck sites, including economic benefits, environmental risks, and ethical considerations. Overall, this research has brought together multidisciplinary experts and promoted dialogue towards a more holistic approach to protecting and conserving shipwreck sites and their associated marine ecosystems, emphasising the need for ongoing monitoring and protection efforts. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the organisers of the Asia Pacific Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage for providing us with an excellent platform to exchange ideas and knowledge with experts from all over the world. We are also grateful to our respective institutions and universities in Sri Lanka for their support and contributions to our research. Looking forward, we aim to continue conducting collaborative research with other experts in the field, and we hope that our findings will contribute to the management and conservation of underwater archaeological sites not only in Sri Lanka but also beyond. We remain committed to this important work and hope to inspire future generations of researchers to explore and preserve our rich marine biodiversity and underwater cultural heritage. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. BBC News. "SS Sagaing: WW2 shipwreck refloated by Sri Lanka navy." BBC, April 2, 2018. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-43607838 2. English, S. S., C. C. Wilkinson, and V. V. Baker. Survey Manual for Tropical Marine Resources. Australian Institute of Marine Science, 1997. 3. Jayawardena, D., C. S. Munasinghe, P. B. T. P. Kumara, A. Wijesuriya, R. Muthucumarana, and R. Priyanandana. "Eco tourism potential of the SS Sagaing (1942) shipwreck in the Trincomalee Harbor." In Proceedings of the Fourth National Symposium on Marine Environment, Marine Environment Protection Authority, 18-19, 2018. 4. Munasinghe, C. S., P. B. T. P. Kumara, A. Wijesuriya, R. Muthucumarana, and D. Jayawardena. "Use of shipwrecks as artificial reefs: Biodiversity of the SS Sagaing." In Proceedings of the Fourth National Symposium on Marine Environment, Marine Environment Protection Authority, 5-6, 2018. 5. National Shipwreck Database. "Home page." Accessed April 30, 2023. https://nsd.ccf.gov.lk/. 6. Rajasuriya, Arjan. Field Guide to Reef Fishes of Sri Lanka. Colombo: IUCN Sri Lanka Office, 2013. 7 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2023 Session 25: Environmental implications of underwater cultural heritage degradation and the conservation of marine ecosystems Subject The topic of the resource Session 25 papers Description An account of the resource Papers presented at Session 25 of the 2023 Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Museum of Underwater Archaeology Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 2023 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Language A language of the resource English Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Symbiosis: Biodiversity Surveys on Archaeological Shipwreck Sites, Managing for a Better Future Description An account of the resource Preliminary surveys on the biological diversity of shipwrecks were started in 2018 with SS Sagaing, an iron wreck purposely sunk by the Sri Lanka Navy. The survey aimed to record the recruitment and colonization of marine organisms on the ship's surface, two months after it was re-sunk in Trincomalee harbor. This became the foundation for a new relationship between marine archaeology, marine biology, and information technology. The National Shipwreck Database of Sri Lanka (NSDSL) was established in 2021 as an online database providing details of known shipwrecks in Sri Lankan waters, preserving their heritage value for future generations. The database uses multimedia formats to present information in an interactive manner. Shipwrecks have multiple benefits, including serving as artificial reefs for marine life and attracting visitors for tourism. The data in the database is collected by the Maritime Archaeology Unit (MAU) of the Central Cultural Fund (CCF), with contributions from other sources such as professional divers and research institutes. The database contains information on 103 shipwrecks and 6 aircrafts. Shipwreck sites naturally become habitats for marine life and can become important biodiversity hotspots. To safeguard them and their ecosystems, archaeologists, scientists, and government/non-governmental agencies should collaborate. Preliminary research collected ecological baseline data on shipwrecks, which was added to the national shipwreck database. This initiates long-term monitoring of fish and fauna diversity on shipwrecks, guiding future protection and conservation efforts for these ecosystems. The result of this project unites diverse stakeholders together to facilitate dialogue and design collaborative approaches to get maximum benefits from each sector. The topic of this abstract fits best within Session 16 - Environmental implications of underwater cultural heritage (UCH) degradation and the conservation of marine ecosystems because it demonstrates a unique partnership of multidisciplinary stakeholders managing the environmental and safety risks associated with underwater cultural heritage. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Vishmi Gunasinghe Chathurika Munasinghe Tharushi Pitigala Rasika Muthucumarana Anuradha Piyadasa Dharshana Jayawardena Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Museum of Underwater Archaeology Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2023 Language A language of the resource English Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Gunasinghe, Vishmi , Chathurika Munasinghe, Tharushi Malshani, Rasika Muthucumarana, Anuradha Piyadasa, Dharshana Jayawardena. 2023. “Symbiosis: Biodiversity surveys on archaeological shipwreck sites, managing for a better future.” Edited by Jennifer Craig, Jay Mok, T. Kurt Knoerl, and Bishnu Pada Bose. Proceedings of Fifth Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Gwangju, The Republic of Korea, November 13-18 2023. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology. URL: https://apconf.omeka.net/exhibits/show/apconfproceedings/item/1973 Asia-Pac Session 25 2023 https://apconf-much.org/proceedings/files/original/c1911ffb22873facef72e97fe653babf.pdf 0e15027a469c16a698f7b1dff1d6db27 PDF Text Text Conservation of marine cultural heritage and associated tribes of balochistan Mr. Tajammal Abbas Rai (PhD Scholar, Department of Archaeology, Hazara University, Pakistan) ABSTRACT This paper will focus on conservation of marine cultural heritage and associated tribes of coastal villages of Balochistan from Goth Haji Alano near Sindh border to Jiwani near Iranian Border. To take environmental implications of underwater heritage important sites will be mapped through recent regional surveys and new approaches will be suggested to save it. On the other hand this coastal area has been populated from prehistoric times to till now. Indus valley civilization Alexander’s expeditions in the region up to now and the whole historical period is full of accounts of these ports and fishermen. The current research project comprises wide-ranging survey and mapping of cultural heritage around these coastal villages and coastline at some selected using ArcGIS. A field survey was conducted in September and October 2022 in order to collect archaeological, botanical zoological material and also GPS-generated tracks and locations were produced. The results show at some sites from two to four overlapping periods in different regions. Primarily, sites identified near associated villages and also coastal areas date back to circa 2700 BCE. This paper will highlight the forms evolving from the research and field data and propose interpretation of both environmental and archaeological heritage. Keywords: Mangroves, Climate, Environmental heritage, Balochistan, Pakistan LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1 Base map of pakistan and its neighbouring countries including arabian and study area Figure 2 Base map of coast of balochistan showing study area sites Figure 3 Chib village north of gwadar town Figure 4 Shell middens near cape gaddani Figure 5 Damb village very close to famous of dolphins view INTRODUCTION AND RELEVANCE TO THE SESSION The project aim is to understand the important role of traditional knowledge systems of marine conservation and management found in coastal tribal communities. The coastal tribes believe that marine conservation is like saving their own children from danger, because they consider it the only source of their survival in the region. They try to save the ecosystem as it is the key to protect fish, shrimp, shellfish, mangroves and migratory and resident birds which used to catch and sell for their livelihood. The project position is that it is important to understand and then develop from their knowledge new approaches for sustainable ecosystem management that will control underwater and coastal degradation and protect cultural heritage. The approach and methodology for the project has been designed to reveal this traditional knowledge base and propose how it can aid maritime conservation and management in the future. CASE STUDY AREA Geographically, the coastal region of Balochistan can be distributed into two subdivisions for better understanding of the region. The first section is the coastal area of Lasbela districts, starting from the mouth of Hub River near Sindh to the western side of Ormara beach close to the Basol River. The second section has a very beautiful landscape of mountainous Makran coast, extending from Basol River to the west of Dasht River near the Iranian border. The coastline is characterized by long beaches, small bays and large lagoons and lakes such as Khor Kalmat lagoon, Miani Hor and Siranda Lake. The Makran Mountains come down close to the coastline in parts of the study area near Jiwani, Pasni and Gwadar with a series of rivers and many streams run down to the sea. 1 �Figure 1 Base Map of Pakistan and its neighbouring countries including Arabian and Study area The coast stretches across 770 km, and provides a shallow water habitat which is rich in marine resources, particularly fish stocks and shrimp (IUCN 2000). Figure 2 Base Map of Coast of Balochistan showing study area Sites The beaches have great biodiversity value because they serve as nesting grounds for endangered red green turtles. The coast is also home to mangrove ecosystems supporting a diverse array of fish, shrimps, birds, and marine mammals such as humpback dolphins found at Miani Hor. Also, the mangrove ecosystems serve as a source of fuelwood for local communities and offer fodder for camels and buffaloes. (MFF Pakistan 2014). PAST OCCUPATION OF THE COASTAL AREA Previous surveys of the coastal region of the district lasbela, Balochistan unveil a long sequence of occupation. Biagi (Biagi 2014) surveyed the eastern part of the coastline and found two important archaeological sites where he collected Shell middens and stone tools. First site is Lake Siranda near Damb and Sonmiani. This is a shallow water lake dependent on seasonal water and sometimes monsoon rain. 2 �Figure 3 Chib village north of gwadar town It remained populated during different periods from the eighth millennium BP to the fifth millennium BP. The sites of cape Gadani and cape Phuari are dated from the fifth millennium BP to the second millennium BP on the basis of cultural material which are stone tools and potsherds. Figure 4 Shell middens near cape gaddani In the district of Gwadar and Kech In 1928, Sir Aurel Stein conducted an archaeological survey and explored archaeological sites including Sutkagan Dor near Jiwani of Makran coast which was later called Sea Port of Harappan period. After the discovery of Sutkagan Dor, George F. Dales started a survey in October and November 1960 and discovered another important Harappan period site called Sokhta Koh. He did excavation and Sutkagan Dor and declared both Sutkagan Dor and Sokhta Koh Harappan period ports, which were used to trade goods with Mesopotamia (Dales 1962). The area remained populated throughout the history as the Achaemenid Empire captured the area and included it as its satrapy and then again during Alexander’s expeditions one of his admiral Nearchus crossed the Makran coast and called these people fish eaters. Ottomans also ruled here indirectly. In the fifteenth century Portuguese attacked the locals and looted them. The eighteenth century Arabs of present Oman, captured the area and ruled until 1958. There are some interesting tangible heritage of Omani rule still existing in Gwadar. Shahi Bazar is in old Gwadar city and needs conservation as it has many important historical buildings such as Om Mandir and Old Fort of Gwadar. Gwadar is still the heart of coastal people. 3 �TRADITIONAL COASTAL FISHING COMMUNITIES There are 35 fishing communities residing along the Balochistan coast, taking advantage of the natural harbors formed by bays and headlands and the population of the area is around 400,000. The most famous and largest fishermen tribe is Meds. They are living all around the coast, there are many clans in this tribe. The Med are among the earliest settlers of the Makran coast; they speak Balochi, and they identify themselves as Baloch but generally, they are considered as a distinct tribe in both Makran and Las Bela areas of the coast. They, like other tribes, still use both traditional methods like nets and fishing rods along with other generally used methods. The second famous fishermen tribe are Siddis. They are not indigenous they came with the arrival of Islam, it is believed they were soldiers of Muslim attackers in this area but most of them decided to settle here and adopted this occupation for living. After these tribes there, many other tribes living along the coast of Balochistan are associated with fishing. These tribes do fishing but some of them usually do fishing some do it occasionally and the last of them have a very low percentage of fishermen. Tribes are fishermen but do fishing in different villages Raeis, Zangi, Kalmati, Birdi, Baloch (a small clan in coastal area also called them Baloch, these are separate from Baloch nation), Sangur tribes who 20 percent to 25 percent do fishing. Gourgej, Hoot, Shahzada, and Sabra tribes who have less than 15 per cent fishing. Above mentioned all tribes are living in different villages and towns along the coast of Balochistan. Figure 5 Damb village very close to famous of dolphins view Famous Towns and Associated Villages These towns and villages were visited by researchers in a 2022 survey of coastal areas from Dasht River to Hub River on the border of Sindh. Jiwani Town Jiwani town is the last town on the makran coast near Dasht river and the Iranian border in the west. The villages like Bandri Okaar, Panwan, Ganz, Passo and a larger village Pishukan are associated with this town of Jiwani. Gwadar Town There are many villages associated with Gwadar town but the researchers visited only four famous and very close to the coastal region villages. These are four villages Sur Bnadan, Dour, Kappar and Chur. 4 �Pasni Town Pasni town also has some important villages around with a good number of fishermen. These are Shadi Kaur, Kalmat, Makola and Basol. Ormara Town There are few important villages here; one of the most important is Kund Malir. Gaddani Town and World’s third Largest Shipwreck Yard This town is famous because it remained the world's largest shipwreck yard until the 1980s having thirty thousand employees and 132 ship-breaking plots. Now it is the third largest, after Alang in India and Chittagong in Bangladesh. There are few very important villages around it. These are Damb, Winder, Sonmiani, Adam pir, Goth sumar khan and Ghulam wadera. Migration from Villages to Coastal Towns There are many reasons for this migration from coastal villages to coastal towns particularly in Gwadar. These people came from different villages because most of the villages do not have basic facilities like schools, rural health centers, roads, and water. Fishermen from different tribes are at top in the list of migrated people because they are deprived of better fishing facilities in villages along with the above mentioned necessities. Culturally religiously important places along the coast There are many famous places that people used to visit, some of them are very important for Hindus but Muslims also visit them and maintain the decorum of the religious places. Hingol Mud Volcanoes There are around ten mud volcanoes in Hingol National Park but the most important of all of them is Chandergup 1. It is an active volcano and people from different communities used to visit it particularly from Balochistan and Sindh. The Hindus considered it an important religious place and call it Baba Chandragup. They throw coconut fruit into the active volcano and focus on their wishes and their wishes come true. They believe that it is the first place to visit before entering into Hinglaj Mata Mandir. Hinglaj Mata Mandir It is also in the Hingol National Park and is the most visited Mandir in Pakistan. During every spring more than 25,000 Hindus take part in a pilgrimage of it, called Hinglaj Yatra. Ibn e Qasim Martyrs Monument This monument is also in Hingol national park and people believe these graves are of Muhmmad bin Qasim’s soldiers. MARITIME HERITAGE ON THE COAST OF BALOCHISTAN Along the coast tangible maritime heritage of the past consists of the archaeological sites discussed above which exploited the coastal resources as can be seen from the finds and, in particular, the frequent shell midden deposits. Built heritage of the present consists only of the typical houses and structures of fishermen in coastal villages. These have not been documented or studied to better understand the social and economic structure of these communities. 5 �The spatial distribution of fishing communities and the patterns of their villages in the coastal landscape will be investigated as well as their adaptation to seasonal use of off-shore waters and marine resources. Research will focus on several aspects of the traditional knowledge and skills of these coastal tribes: 1. Boat building methods and materials and styles of boats 2. Traditional fishing techniques such as Chatt bait fishing 3. Traditional ecosystem management for sustainability RESEARCH QUESTIONS A group of research questions are guiding this project: 1. How have maritime oriented groups adapted to and exploited the marine ecosystem through time? 2. Are present groups continuing this adaptation and is it endangered by modern large-scale fishing fleets, tourism development along the coast and construction of a major port at Gwadar at the eastern edge of the study area? 3. What can modern nature and heritage conservation learn from their accumulated knowledge of how to sustainably manage maritime resources and associated intangible and tangible heritage? Can their traditional knowledge contribute to solutions to issues of climate change and coasts? METHODOLOGY OF THE PROJECT The approach of this project is multidisciplinary and employs a combination of tools including: 1. Desk based research – previous archaeological survey and excavation; anthropology studies; map and satellite remote imagery analysis; creating an historical timeline 2. GIS Mapping and documentation of traditional coastal fishing communities and their adaptation to maritime environment to highlight known sites of existing fishing communities and of past archaeological sites. 3. Mapping of identified traditional coastal villages and documentation of traditional skills and lifeways 4. Carrying out Cultural Mapping at villages in the study area to record intangible traditional knowledge and skills and material culture related to their maritime adaptation 5. Oral histories with community elders to record changes in environment and their lifestyle. EXPECTED RESULTS OF THE PROJECT The project will propose measures for the future conservation and management of the tribal maritime heritage of the Balochistan Arabian Sea coast. These recommendations will be presented under an umbrella proposal for a Coastal Marine Park for this area like the UNESCO Surin Islands Project in coastal south Thailand where the Moken “Sea Gypsies”, maritime adapted peoples, have been made the managers of a large coastal marine park that has been their home for centuries; which they manage using their traditional approaches and methods (UNESCO 2001). Our project will result in a clearer understanding of how maritime oriented groups have used the coastal resources of southern Balochistan, how people have distributed themselves within this environment and adapted to the coastal landscape and seascape through millennia. Looking to the past, this knowledge can help interpret how traditional skills and material culture relate to past adaptations as we see in the archaeological remains. Looking forward, their adaptation and the tools they have used for centuries can help us find more effective ways to safeguard the living, archaeological and natural marine heritage of the coastal area. 6 �BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Ahmed, Manzoor, and Gulawar Khan. "The History of Baloch and Balochistan: A Critical Appraisal." A Research Journal of South Asian Studies January-June (2017): 40-43. 2. Baloch, Ghulam Farooq, Waheed Razzaq, Shakir Naseer, and & Saeeda Mengal. 2015. "A Brief Survey of the Archaeological Sites of District Lasbela, Balochistan: A Descriptive Approach." UoB, Quetta (Pakistan) XXXII,no.1 (2015): 40-46. 3. Biagi, Paolo."Shell Middens of the Coast of Balochistan." Encyclopedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures (2014): 3-5. 4. Biagi, Paolo, and Reneto Nisbet. "The Archaeological Sites of Gadani and Phuari Headlands (Lasbela, Balochistan, Pakistan)." (2014): 4-7. 5. Dales, George F. "Harappan Outposts on the Makran Coast ." Antquity, XXXVI (1962):86-91. 6. Didier, Aurore, and Benjamin Mutin. "The Kech-Makran Region in Protohistoric Times ." In Lost and Found: Prehistoric Pottery Treasures from Baluchistan, by Ute Franke and Elisa Cortesi. Berlin: Museum of Islamic Art Pergamon Museum.(2015): 297-318. 7. Paolo, Biagi, and Renato Nisbet. "The Archaeological Sites of Gadani and Phuari." n.d. 8. Rasool, Fayyaz, Shahzadi Tunio, and Syed Ali Hasnain. "Mangrove conservation along the coast of Sonmiani, Balochistan, Pakistan ." Springer-Verlag (2002): 214-216. 9. Shahrukh, Naufil, Shahzad Hussain, Tuba Azeem, and Samand Khan. "Coastal Communities of Balochistan vis-à-vis CPEC: Mapping Perceptions and Socioeconomic Issues." Policy Perspectives (2020): 53-56. 7 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2023 Session 25: Environmental implications of underwater cultural heritage degradation and the conservation of marine ecosystems Subject The topic of the resource Session 25 papers Description An account of the resource Papers presented at Session 25 of the 2023 Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Museum of Underwater Archaeology Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 2023 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Language A language of the resource English Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Conservation of marine cultural heritage and associated tribes of balochistan Description An account of the resource This paper will focus on conservation of marine cultural heritage and associated tribes of coastal villages of Balochistan from Goth Haji Alano near Sindh border to Jiwani near Iranian Border. To take environmental implications of underwater heritage important sites will be mapped through recent regional surveys and new approaches will be suggested to save it. On the other hand this coastal area has been populated from prehistoric times to till now. Indus valley civilization Alexander’s expeditions in the region up to now and the whole historical period is full of accounts of these ports and fishermen. The current research project comprises wide-ranging survey and mapping of cultural heritage around these coastal villages and coastline at some selected using ArcGIS. A field survey was conducted in September and October 2022 in order to collect archaeological, botanical zoological material and also GPS-generated tracks and locations were produced. The results show at some sites from two to four overlapping periods in different regions. Primarily, sites identified near associated villages and also coastal areas date back to circa 2700 BCE. This paper will highlight the forms evolving from the research and field data and propose interpretation of both environmental and archaeological heritage. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Tajammal Abbas Rai Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Museum of Underwater Archaeology Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2023 Language A language of the resource English Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Rai,Tajammal Abbas . 2023. “Conservation of marine cultural heritage and associated tribes of balochistan.” Edited by Jennifer Craig, Jay Mok, T. Kurt Knoerl, and Bishnu Pada Bose. Proceedings of Fifth Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Gwangju, The Republic of Korea, November 13-18 2023. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology. URL: https://apconf.omeka.net/exhibits/show/apconfproceedings/item/1974 Asia-Pac Session 25 2023 https://apconf-much.org/proceedings/files/original/09ec162c051d0dedc0c46186f1ddfa1d.pdf b3d31a9e18a4facc9dd4bfcb6449fff6 PDF Text Text Anthropogenic Submersion of Terrestrial Cultural Heritage sites leads to their Permanent Destruction and Demise Ms. Zhang Yue (Masters’ Student, Beijing Language and Culture University, Faculty of Foreign Studies) ABSTRACT As human societies continue to expand economically and socially in a divergent manner, the destruction of cultural heritage sites becomes almost inevitable. Since modern times in China, the construction of dams and reservoirs has led to the submersion of numerous valuable cultural relics and ancient sites, which has completely changed their living environment and caused irreversible damage. For example, the construction of the Three Gorges Dam resulted in the permanent submersion of the Fuling White Crane Ridge beneath the reservoir. Such cases are not unique to China but can be found throughout the Asia-Pacific region and even globally, as developing countries inevitably face the dilemma of prioritizing development or cultural heritage protection. If left unchecked, more terrestrial cultural heritage sites will be submerged underwater. This paper will utilize academic resources to focus on theoretical discussions, summarizing cases of anthropogenic submersion of cultural heritage sites and corresponding countermeasures and protective measures. It will further consider what types of human activities are permissible and which are ethically unacceptable when faced with both economic development and cultural heritage protection. The paper argues that when the urgency of economic development is questioned, we should prioritize the protection of cultural heritage and resist the practice of submerging cultural heritage sites underwater, which leads to their permanent destruction. Furthermore, the Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage sets a time limit for the definition of UCH—at least 100 years—raising questions about the scientific basis for this limit. This paper contends that the assessment of UCH should not be limited to this 100-year timeframe but should involve multi-angle, interdisciplinary evaluations based on the scientific, artistic, and cultural value of the heritage. Otherwise, heritage sites like the White Crane Ridge, which have immense value, may not receive adequate protection if they are not promptly designated as UCH after being submerged due to reservoir construction. Therefore, this paper will delve into the ethical issues mentioned above and attempt to offer suggestions for the sustainable development of UCH in the Asia-Pacific region. Keywords: Underwater Cultural Heritage; Hydraulic Engineering; Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage; Sustainable Development INTRODUCTION Cultural heritage protection faces significant challenges during the process of economic and social development, especially in developing countries where irreversible damage often occurs in the pursuit of economic growth. This paper discusses the permanent destruction and demise caused by the anthropogenic submersion of heritage sites during the construction of dams and reservoirs and raises questions about the Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage in the hopes of offering suggestions for the sustainable development of UCH in the Asia-Pacific region. CASE STUDIES OF HERITAGE SUBMERSION AND ITS IMPACTS During the 1950s and 1960s, China engaged in hydraulic engineering projects, resulting in the submersion of a large number of terrestrial cultural heritage sites underwater. The sudden submersion of these heritage sites due to human activities drastically changed their living environment, causing irreversible damage to the relics and ancient sites. The three gorges dam and white crane ridge The White Crane Ridge inscriptions are the largest and most extensive hydrological inscriptions in existence, known as the "world's hydrological data treasury." They record local low water levels of the Yangtze River from 764 CE to 1909 CE, as well as historical, literary, artistic, and folklore information 1 �during this period. The inscriptions serve as an essential source for the study of the hydrological history of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. The White Crane Ridge inscriptions use a unique method of recording water levels based on Chinese cultural traditions, with the stone fish as the reference point and inscriptions indicating the distance from the reference point. The creators of this unique method transformed dry numerical records into artistic creations rich in cultural and artistic connotations, and combined them with local folk activities like watching the stone fish emerge from the water and predicting harvests. This not only imbues these records with historical value but also turns recording water levels into a conscious action of local people, giving it a lasting vitality. Today, when discussing the White Crane Ridge, one cannot ignore the closely related human activity—the construction of the Three Gorges Dam project. This is one of the largest power stations in China and the world, mainly serving water resource utilization, flood control, and power generation. After the Three Gorges Dam raised the water level to 175 meters, the water level along the Yangtze River significantly increased, submerging the White Crane Ridge inscriptions nearly 40 meters underwater, along with over 300 above-ground ancient sites and 400 underground ancient sites, totaling approximately 800 sites (Huang Wei 2011). Reservoir construction and submersion of ancient villages Technological advancements in the 20th century promoted industrialization, providing continuous vitality for infrastructure construction. Hydraulic engineering projects not only helped solve energy shortages but also served multiple functions such as flood control, irrigation, navigation, and employment, effectively addressing the slow economic and social development faced by developing countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Thus, countries in the region began to engage in hydraulic engineering projects to create economic value. Vietnam began constructing the Hoa Binh Dam in 1979, which was completed and put into operation in 1994 as the largest hydropower station in Vietnam and one of the largest reservoirs in Southeast Asia. The Sesan River Reservoir project in Cambodia, located on one of the two main tributaries of the Mekong River, started in 2012 and began operating in 2017. The Laos government, in cooperation with Thailand and China, began constructing the Pak Beng hydropower station in 2017, which remains under construction. However, while hydraulic engineering projects bring economic benefits, they also cause irreversible damage to the surrounding ecological environment and cultural heritage. Material cultural heritage, such as ancient villages, temples, ancestral halls, and other relics related to local ethnic cultures, are completely submerged with the reservoir's water storage, facing unprecedented challenges in their living environment. Underwater, cultural relics may be affected by water flow erosion, biological corrosion, and chemical reactions, further increasing the difficulty of protecting cultural heritage. From the perspective of intangible cultural heritage, the construction of hydraulic facilities forces some indigenous people to relocate. Over time, the traditional culture, lifestyle, and social structure formed by the indigenous people based on their living environment also change with the alteration of their living environment. This results in a significant loss of intangible cultural heritage passed down from generation to generation, such as social practices, conceptual expressions, and knowledge and skills. Consequently, we lose the opportunity to understand and inherit these unique cultures forever. In addition, reservoir construction disrupts river ecosystems, and water level fluctuations cause erosive geological changes. Water storage in reservoirs leads to sediment accumulation, downstream drought, and worsening saltwater intrusion, all of which negatively impact biodiversity and ecological balance and indirectly affect the preservation of local cultural heritage. 2 �BALANCING HYDROPOWER DEVELOPMENT AND UCH PROTECTION From the aforementioned cases, it is evident that developing countries in Asia have continued to construct hydropower projects in the past fifty years, with some completed and in operation, while others still under construction. In the process of economic development, developing countries inevitably face the dilemma of prioritizing development or cultural heritage protection. If left unaddressed, more terrestrial cultural heritage sites may be submerged during hydropower construction and left without adequate protection. Thus, this article will focus on theoretical perspectives to explore how to balance social development and cultural heritage protection, as well as how to make decisions when their interests conflict, in order to achieve sustainable development for both. Conflict between hydropower development and cultural heritage protection Firstly, hydropower development, such as dams and reservoirs, often requires construction in rivers, lakes, and other water bodies. These areas may contain sites and ancient structures of significant historical and cultural value. During hydropower construction, these cultural heritage sites may be submerged, preventing their values from being passed down. Moreover, hydropower development can alter the environment, such as water flow and levels, leading to site erosion, sediment changes, and subsequent effects on site integrity and preservation. Underwater archaeology is inherently more challenging than terrestrial archaeology, and hydropower projects further increase the difficulty and complexity of underwater archaeology conditions (Gribble 2013). The extent and completeness of underwater archaeological work directly influence the protection of UCH. In developing countries, limited economic development results in weak awareness of UCH protection among governments and the public, leading to insufficient investigation, planning, and assessment of potentially affected cultural heritage sites during the early stages of hydropower development. Additionally, limited resource allocation contributes to the challenge of initiating UCH protection efforts. Ethical considerations and UCH protection The conflicts mentioned above force us to confront a series of serious questions. How should we weigh the importance of hydropower development and cultural heritage protection when they conflict, and can their conflicts be reconciled? Through case analysis, we find that most developing countries prioritize hydropower development and seldom develop comprehensive protection plans for related cultural heritage at the early stages of construction. This is closely related to national economic strength and social context at the time. Following World War II, the acceleration of late modernity and globalization processes intensified people's linear experience of the past, resulting in increased vulnerability and uncertainty when facing crises and risks. Heritage and the past became topics of widespread public interest and concern. The heritage explosion around the 1970s further highlighted people's attention to heritage and its cultural core (Harrison 2013). However, this shift occurred during the deindustrialization period, and many already constructed industrial facilities, such as the hydropower projects mentioned in this article, had caused irreversible damage to cultural heritage. While the damage is done and cannot be reversed, it is still essential to deeply explore and analyze the ethical issues underlying this damage to provide theoretical insights for future cultural heritage protection and sustainable development. Developing countries' series of hydropower projects were initially aimed at economic growth and development. While such infrastructure has indeed had positive impacts on societal and national development, it is crucial to consider how to properly preserve and accommodate cultural heritage and historical information during the construction of these projects. Otherwise, the loss of cultural heritage and traditional customs due to human intervention is a cost that neither we nor future generations can bear. 3 �Achieving balance between economic development and cultural heritage protection Ethical considerations concerning the submersion of terrestrial cultural heritage by human intervention can be summarized into two main questions: first, is the damage caused by artificially altering the environment of cultural heritage sites justifiable? Second, has the consent of the public who value the cultural heritage been obtained before submerging terrestrial heritage sites? When conflicts arise between economic development and cultural heritage protection, the optimal solution should involve achieving a balance between the two through sustainable means. The construction of the Three Gorges Dam led to the submersion of Baiheliang, but with the growing emphasis on the cultural industry, relevant departments have made great efforts to protect this precious cultural heritage. The underwater protection project of Baiheliang inscriptions at their original site is the most challenging, technologically advanced, and heavily invested cultural heritage protection project within the globally watched Three Gorges cultural relics protection. Adopting the "pressureless container" principle and constructing an underwater museum for in-situ protection has become the world's first successful example of protecting similar cultural heritage, with UNESCO praising it as the world's first underwater site museum accessible without diving (Jiang Rui 2020). In addition, the site has carried out cultural dissemination and educational work to raise public awareness and protection consciousness for Baiheliang inscriptions. The successful protection of Baiheliang inscriptions demonstrates that although the construction of the Three Gorges Dam inevitably caused damage to cultural heritage, it is an indispensable part of national economic development. Without an economic foundation, how can cultural heritage be protected? Therefore, this article argues that when economic development becomes an obstacle to human survival and social progress, appropriate changes can be made to cultural heritage. At the same time, people should always remember the contributions of cultural heritage to human progress and provide better protection when they have the capacity. However, if the urgency of economic development is questioned, actions that submerge terrestrial cultural heritage in water against ethical principles should be firmly prevented. Furthermore, since heritage began involving the public domain (Lowenthal 1996), public participation has become an essential part of heritage protection and utilization. Decisions on whether to submerge terrestrial cultural heritage in water should not rely solely on official authorities; relevant heritage organizations should conduct thorough public surveys and listen to the opinions of the public. QUESTIONING AND REFLECTION ON THE 100-YEAR TIME LIMIT OF THE UCH PROTECTION CONVENTION This article focuses on a series of ethical issues brought about by human activities such as the construction of water conservancy projects, which cause terrestrial cultural heritage to be submerged underwater. In attempting to seek better protection for such damaged cultural heritage, legal and institutional obstacles have been encountered. The "Underwater Cultural Heritage Protection Convention" passed by UNESCO in 2001 is the first international convention on the protection of UCH worldwide (Dromgoole 2013). The convention stipulates that UCH refers to all human remnants with cultural, historical, or archaeological value, such as sites, buildings, artifacts, human remains, ships, and aircraft, as well as their archaeologically valuable environments and natural environments, which have been partially or entirely underwater for at least 100 years, periodically or continuously. According to this provision, cultural heritage with significant historical, scientific, and artistic value, such as Baiheliang inscriptions, is not considered UCH under the convention's definition when submerged underwater due to human activities. Many scholars have questioned the 100-year time limit, arguing that this rigid standard lacks scientific basis and is purely for management purposes to exclude items of more recent origin. However, many countries' cultural heritage laws use this time limit (Ma Mingfei 2018). To more comprehensively and objectively assess the value of UCH, it is necessary to adopt multiple indicators rather than simply relying on the 100-year time limit. This assessment process may involve interdisciplinary collaboration, including experts in fields such as history, archaeology, art history, and environmental science (Forrest 2014). In fact, in some cases, 4 �more recent heritage may have more urgent protection needs, such as the risk of natural disasters or human destruction. Otherwise, a large number of heritage sites will be excluded and not receive effective protection. SUGGESTIONS AND CONCLUSIONS This article uses academic resources to focus on theoretical discussions, summarizing cases of human-caused submersion of cultural heritage underwater and corresponding countermeasures and protection measures, and further considering what human activities are permissible and which ones are unethical when facing both economic development and cultural relic protection. The paper argues that when the economic foundation threatens human survival and social development, appropriate changes can be made to cultural heritage by fully listening to public opinion and promoting public participation, and better protection can be provided for damaged heritage when the capacity is available. However, when the urgency of economic development is questioned, we should prioritize the protection of cultural heritage and resist actions that deliberately submerge cultural heritage underwater, causing permanent damage. Furthermore, this article questions the scientific and accurate nature of the 100-year time limit for the definition of UCH in the "Underwater Cultural Heritage Protection Convention," as this time limit determines the future protection of UCH. The protection of UCH faces many challenges, and seeking a balance between economic development and cultural heritage protection is a complex and important task. We need to make efforts in various aspects, such as improving policies and regulations, supporting scientific and technological research, international cooperation and exchanges, and public participation and education, to better protect and inherit these precious cultural heritages and contribute to the sustainable development of UCH in the Asia-Pacific region and the world. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Dromgoole, S. The Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage: National Perspectives in Light of the UNESCO Convention 2001, 2nd ed. Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff, 2006. 2. Forrest, C. International Law and the Protection of Cultural Heritage. London; New York: Routledge, 2014. 3. Gribble, J. “The UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage 2001: An Impact Review for the United Kingdom: Project Design.” Journal of maritime archaeology 6, no.1 (2011): 77-86. 4. Harrison, R. Heritage: Critical Approaches. London; New York: Routledge, 2013. 5. Lowenthal, D. Possessed by the Past: The Heritage Crusade and the Spoils of History. New York: The Free Press, 1996. 6. O'Keefe, P. J. Shipwrecked Heritage: a Commentary on the UNESCO Convention on Underwater Cultural Heritage, 2nd ed. Leicester. UK: Institute of Art and Law, 2014. 7. 蒋锐. “浅析水下文化遗产保护管理措施及成效——以白鹤梁题刻为例.”自然与文化遗产研究 5, no.1(2020): 114-119. 8. 马明飞. “《保护水下文化遗产公约》在我国研究的回顾与展望.” 水下考古, (2018): 256-265. 9. 黄伟. 三峡大坝建设对奉节旅游影响研究. 重庆师范大学, 2011. 5 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource 2023 Session 25: Environmental implications of underwater cultural heritage degradation and the conservation of marine ecosystems Subject The topic of the resource Session 25 papers Description An account of the resource Papers presented at Session 25 of the 2023 Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Museum of Underwater Archaeology Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource November 2023 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Language A language of the resource English Rights Holder A person or organization owning or managing rights over the resource. Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage Document A resource containing textual data. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre text. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Anthropogenic Submersion of Terrestrial Cultural Heritage sites leads to their Permanent Destruction and Demise Description An account of the resource As human societies continue to expand economically and socially in a divergent manner, the destruction of cultural heritage sites becomes almost inevitable. Since modern times in China, the construction of dams and reservoirs has led to the submersion of numerous valuable cultural relics and ancient sites, which has completely changed their living environment and caused irreversible damage. For example, the construction of the Three Gorges Dam resulted in the permanent submersion of the Fuling White Crane Ridge beneath the reservoir. Such cases are not unique to China but can be found throughout the Asia-Pacific region and even globally, as developing countries inevitably face the dilemma of prioritizing development or cultural heritage protection. If left unchecked, more terrestrial cultural heritage sites will be submerged underwater. This paper will utilize academic resources to focus on theoretical discussions, summarizing cases of anthropogenic submersion of cultural heritage sites and corresponding countermeasures and protective measures. It will further consider what types of human activities are permissible and which are ethically unacceptable when faced with both economic development and cultural heritage protection. The paper argues that when the urgency of economic development is questioned, we should prioritize the protection of cultural heritage and resist the practice of submerging cultural heritage sites underwater, which leads to their permanent destruction. Furthermore, the Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage sets a time limit for the definition of UCH—at least 100 years—raising questions about the scientific basis for this limit. This paper contends that the assessment of UCH should not be limited to this 100-year timeframe but should involve multi-angle, interdisciplinary evaluations based on the scientific, artistic, and cultural value of the heritage. Otherwise, heritage sites like the White Crane Ridge, which have immense value, may not receive adequate protection if they are not promptly designated as UCH after being submerged due to reservoir construction. Therefore, this paper will delve into the ethical issues mentioned above and attempt to offer suggestions for the sustainable development of UCH in the Asia-Pacific region. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Zhang Yue Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available The Museum of Underwater Archaeology Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2023 Language A language of the resource English Bibliographic Citation A bibliographic reference for the resource. Recommended practice is to include sufficient bibliographic detail to identify the resource as unambiguously as possible. Yue, Zhang. 2023. “Anthropogenic Submersion of Terrestrial Cultural Heritage sites leads to their Permanent Destruction and Demise.” Edited by Jennifer Craig, Jay Mok, T. Kurt Knoerl, and Bishnu Pada Bose. Proceedings of Fifth Asia Pacific Regional Conference on Underwater Cultural Heritage: Gwangju, The Republic of Korea, November 13-18 2023. The Museum of Underwater Archaeology. URL: https://apconf.omeka.net/exhibits/show/apconfproceedings/item/1975 Asia-Pac Session 25 2023