Introduction:

The fascination of the underwater world and its magnificent natural resources has always been a mysterious and awe inspiring experience for visitors to Aquariums around the world. The lure of sunken ships carrying untold fortunes in gold and silver cargoes has stirred the imagination of countless generations of youngsters from 6 to 96, while in others, the elegance and beauty of some of these majestic treasures speak of an age of noble cultures of the past. In the underwater world, these two magnificent resources can be found combined in a synergetic pattern of seamless beauty.

For historic shipwrecks lost centuries ago, the cultural resources they’ve carried have merged as one with the surrounding natural resource they have long become a part of. The symbiotic relationship of these two ever popular Florida treasures, unleashes the imagination of a public thirsting to be offered an environment replete with fascination, beauty, and mysterious intrigue.

However, as romantic as the search for these wrecks may be, there is a required social and legal responsibility placed on the salvor to maintain the archaeological integrity of the artifacts recovered from these historic vessels. The professional salvor, who employs archaeologists and adheres to the accepted guidelines of shipwreck recovery, will ultimately require a conservation facility for the material recovered. This facility in turn requires trained conservators to maintain, document and preserve the collection until which time the material is deemed stabilized.

The method of conserving historical artifacts is essentially a scientific process that requires certain steps by trained professionals. It is these very steps that are educational as well as entertaining when they are offered to the public in the appropriate setting. Some of the best compliments we have received after viewing our museum in Key West, is after we take people through our conservation labs for a special tour. This "behind the scenes" look at how the artifacts appear before and after the process, and the steps it takes to get there, is always surprising to the viewer and completes their enhanced understanding and appreciation of our cultural heritage. This is the hands on part of the tour that people seem to favor.

A conservation facility located in an Aquarium that can be viewed by the public, such as the one proposed for West Palm Beach, would complement the idea of the combined resources theme of sunken ships and their cargoes of the past merged in unison with our aesthetic marine environment. This combination of cultural and natural resources will eventually benefit not only the people of Florida but the international community at large. Obviously, most of these historic shipwrecks were foreign vessels that carried different and varied cultures to the new world. Our commitment to preserving our past will extend far beyond our shores.

The many benefits of this theme association could be extraordinary. West Palm Beach will have the tourist draw of showcasing these resources to the public in the educational, informative and entertaining format of their natural environment. The State of Florida will be seen as a model of cooperation between the private sector and archaeologists by providing the conservation and repository of these, "Treasures From Our Past" and presenting them to the people of the world in an informative and entertaining setting.

Objectives:

1. To encourage public involvement and participation in the recovery, conservation, and historical and archaeological importance of Florida’s Marine Cultural Heritage.
2. To provide commercial salvors and their archaeologists with a conservation facility for stabilizing and preserving underwater artifacts recovered from historically significant shipwrecks.
3. These shipwreck artifacts, many of which are located and salvaged within the State waters of Florida, will be maintained by professional conservators until the stabilization process has been achieved.
4. A thorough record will be kept of all the provenience gathered, and documentation of each individual item, from the sea to the lab, will be logged. A computerized database for archival research will be maintained and this will be available for academic review.
5. The artifacts themselves will be made available for study by any accredited individual or institution that wishes to analyze them for academic or scientific purposes.
6. A website to the Aquarium’s conservation laboratories can be accessed by anyone around the world for the latest information on artifact conservation and also to the archival database for archaeological research.
7. Camera tracks around the laboratory will allow real time viewing for students logging on through the Internet to ask questions about conservation methods.
8. When conservation has been completed, a deacession/transfer of the material will be made back to the Salvor or to an institution agreed upon with the repository under an initial contract with the salvor and the State of Florida.
9. The State of Florida will receive its selected percentage and a full inventory report detailing the project. (Providing the salvor is in state waters and is under a state contract to recover these artifacts.)
10. Paid positions in archaeology and conservation will be available to accredited individuals who seek employment in those fields.
11. A volunteer and internship curriculum can be offered to students who wish to seek careers in like fields.
12. A scholarship program may be set up to provide financial assistance to those academically inclined to pursue these careers.

Common thread- All legal and government documents pertaining to the recovery of historic shipwrecks have a repeating theme of public access, public participation, and generating public interest and involvement. This venue should ascribe to those commitments while continuing to maintain the highest standards of the Professional Historic Shipwreck Salvor.

Suggested Procedure:

The Historic Shipwreck Salvage Policy Council (HSSPC) of Florida, which is made up of professional salvors, has been instrumental in formulating policy on submerged cultural resources with the State of Florida and NOAA’s marine sanctuary program in the Florida Keys. It is suggested that HSSPC should be the liaison between the salvage community and the state of Florida in obtaining the cooperation of all shipwreck salvors in Florida to participate in the conservation effort being set forth with the West Palm Beach Aquarium and Florida’s Divison of Archives under Secretary of State Katherine Harris.

The HSSPC Background:

The HSSPC’s record of achievment can be noted in the attached letter from Secretary of State Katherine Harris to our Department of State representitive Mr. Robert Blumberg asking him to consider including HSSPC in any international negotiations on the "Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage."

Click Here for Secretary of State Letter