June 14, 2000

Ladies and Gentlemen, my name is Taffi Fisher and I am the President of the Mel Fisher Center in Sebastian Florida. My father is the late Mel Fisher. My father taught me to be proud to be an American. If there is one thing he has instilled in his children, it is the right to fight in this country for what we believe in. And to be alert of the powers of government to take away the rights that have been granted to us as citizens of this great country.

I have watched my Dad go through near financial ruin on many occasions because some of the government agencies greed and dereliction of their duties in the protection of the rights of their citizens. Many people would have quit. But my Dad was determined to prevail because he knew he was right. The Constitution of the United States told him so. And after many years in litigation and over a hundred Federal Court hearings, the Supreme Court of the United States agreed with him. "Let no agency of government stand in the way of what our forefathers created," they said. "A free enterprise society in a democracy will flourish." "A nation that doesn’t understand these basic truths will take its place behind other nations and they will wither."

The salvage community comes here today to make sure that agencies of government in this country do not take advantage of their power to usurp the freedoms that my father and many others have fought so long and hard to maintain. The guidelines that NOAA proposes for the RMS Titanic group is a clear case in point of a dereliction of duty to it’s citizens and a misuse of its administrative powers.

Clearly, in order to adhere to all of NOAA’s regulations, and to submit to their questionable authority, RMS Titanic would then relinquish its obligation to the Admiralty Courts and would now be at the mercy of an administrative regime that is striving for the elimination of commercial salvage. As a lifelong salvor, I stand behind the continued application of the United States Admiralty Courts and support the decision of the RMS Titanic group to do the same.

In the Florida Keys, although we have an excellent working relationship with the local NOAA officials, the myriad of misguided bureaucratic red tape through Washington can be a nightmare. A case in point of our Atocha permits issued by NOAA now raise the question as to who will determine what are Atocha artifacts – NOAA, the Admiralty Court, or should it be a joint decision. This answer is clear to us. It must be, it has to be, and it will be the Federal Admiralty Courts decision. This is not debatable. This is not on the table for further discussion. If NOAA wishes to challenge this, I would suggest we bring it before Judge King in the United States District Court and let him decide once and for all, so their will be no more ambiguities in our friendly and ongoing relationship in the Florida Keys.

I would suggest the same for the Titanic group. Do not give in to a misguided administrative attempt to remove you as Salvor in Possession of this wonderful shipwreck that you have so diligently been recovering and preserving for the world to see. Let the Admiralty Courts have the final decision. As Judge Clark told a NOAA’s attorney on March 22, "…if RMST objects to any of the language (in the guidelines) and takes it up with the court, the United States government, is going to be very, very embarrassed if this court says, Uncle Sam, you can’t do it. (Transcript of proceedings, Norfolk, Virginia, March 22, 2000pg 21 lines 3-6) Ladies and gentleman, we have or checks and balances in this country. But we must know how and when to use them. I believe that for the Atocha and the Titanic, and all the other shipwrecks that are challenged by unfair government regulation, that the time is now. Let’s not wait until NOAA writes us off. Let us demand our continued salvage rights under Federal Admiralty Law, and let’s stand united and do it now, remember – "Today’s The Day"

 Additional points of the Proposed Guidelines!

1. The guidelines set forth a preferred policy of "in situ" preservation of the RMS Titanic. In the vast majority of thousands of shipwrecks such as Atocha, 1715, U.S.S. Monitor, the Titanic, etc., leaving artifacts "in situ" would mean approving the total consumption of the artifacts by natural causes such as bacteria, sediment abrasion, and corrosion by salts and acids.
2. The guidelines are in conflict with United Nations Convention of 1982. "Law of the Sea" Articles 3,5, (contiguous zone definitions) 77(coastal states sovereign rights over continental shelf), and 303 #3 (should not conflict with Admiralty law and jurisdiction)
3. The guidelines not only question but also usurp the authority of United States Federal Admiralty Courts.
4. Quotes from (National Geographic Societies New Book "Titanic", collectors edition) some by Ballard himself. "The decks pine planking was gone, replaced by a snowy coating of calcareous tubes, the homes of long-dead weed boring mollusks." "Here, Titanic’s startled helmsman had desperately turned the now gone wooden wheel in a vain attempt to evade the ice." "Swirling rust obliterated our view." "the bow appears as an aged queen "draped in ribbons of rust." "rust that dripped like candle wax"

Taffi Fisher Abt, President

Mel Fisher Center, Inc.

Sebastian, FL