Here are the results and the papers given at the Titanic/NOAA hearings held at the Department of Commerce in Washington, DC last Thursday the 15 of June. The meeting went exceptionally well for the salvors. They outnumbered the anti-salvage group about 13-0. Officially, there wasn't any oral testimony submitted by the other side, however, Anne Gesicke, (author of the Abandoned Shipwreck Act) did make an un-official 3 min. plea to remove the salvage rights from RMS Titanic from the Admiralty court to NOAA's jurisdiction. There is more that we all have to do as salvors, divers and individuals to offset a massive letter writting campaign to the State Department by this anti-salvage contingent. They are trying to re-group this week after the huge setback that was bestowed upon them a few days ago. Do not be fooled or lulled into complacency at this point folks, the fight is not over yet, and we are actually gaining ground. In order to win however, we need you to participate.

We ALL need to send letters this week to show our own concern about the UNESCO issues. Your letters should be sent AND faxed to:

Robert Blumberg US Dept of State 2201 C Street NW Washington DC 20520 Fax- (202) 647-1106

One subject that is imperative that everyone should address is that: "We, as salvors, believe that the US position paper should allow for the Multiple-Use" of the resources." Please, everyone include that sentence somewhere in your response. Your letter should address one or more of the following issues:

1. At present, the proposed UNESCO Convention defines Underwater Cultural Heritage as: "all traces of human existence (which have been) partially, totally or periodically (situated) underwater for at least 100 years" (Please explain why you think this won't or can't work)

2. At present the proposed UNESCO Convention, in the Annexed Rules, says, "protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage is best achieved through in situ preservation, which should be considered as a first option."

(If you have had any experience with underwater artifacts, explain why this won't work.)

3. At present the proposed UNESCO Convention, in the Annexed Rules, says, "The commercial exploitation of underwater cultural heritage for trade or speculation (other than in the provision of services) or its irretrievable dispersal is fundamentally incompatible with the protection and proper management of the underwater cultural heritage. Underwater cultural heritage shall not be traded, sold, bought and bartered a items of commercial value." Consider that this rule will apply to ALL underwater cultural heritage, as defined in question 1.

(Remember what keeps the salvor going, and respond accordingly.)

4. At present the proposed UNESCO Convention, in the Annexed Rules, says, "Project funding shall not require the sale acquisition or barter of underwater cultural heritage"

(This is basicly the same question but with the emphasis on funding our operations.)

Remember that as the US delegates meet in Paris on July 3rd to present the US position. All your letters will be considered - this is not a futile exercise.

These letters are taken very seriously, and if we can get more letters in support of our position than the anti-private sector archaeologists send in, it will help us to continue the United States' pro-private sector, pro-multiple use stand in Paris.

If you have any questions, please e-mail IMAC Digest. IMAC would like to go to Paris next week with the full support of ALL of our salvors and divers. We have a real chance here to change a proposed International Document through the official U.S. position paper. Thanks in advance for your cooperation on this.

Pat Clyne

Click the pen and scroll to the left of the transcript you would like to read

	Pat Clyne, publisher of IMAC, represented the Historic Shipwreck Salvage Policy Council (HSSPC) of Florida at the Department of Commerce
	Speech by Taffi Fisher-Abt, President of the Mel Fisher Center and Director of the East Coast Shipwreck project.
	Oral testimony by Jim Sinclair. Jim Sinclair, is an archaeologist and conservator. He is also one of the Directors of the Institute of Marine Archaeological Conservation.
	Tom Ryan is an attorney and also a salvor. Tom dissected the Titanic guidelines proposed by NOAA and came up with some very interesting abuses of administrative power perpetuated by NOAA that otherwise might have been overlooked.