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Ouch! I just read the following message on the net, (which I quote in part):
------------------------------
To: David.Cooper@cc*.ad*.wi*.ed*; io@st*.ac*.uk*
Cc: techdiver@opal.com; nautarch@sa*.ed*
DJ,
". . . In most (if not all) National Marine Sanctuaries it
is prohibited. 99% of these artifacts here will be lost forever.
. . . The Monitor is now a pile of junk ("preserved"?). . . .
As Finnern said, it IS about power-hungry, un-elected bureaucrats.
Just because a diver doesn't have some obscure PhD doesn't mean
they can't properly document, collect, and preserve these artifacts.
Regards, Christina"
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That hurts! My job is trying to protect and preserve the MONITOR and also to
provide information, educational programs and--yes--even access to the
sanctuary. At least some of the dozens of technical divers who visit the
MONITOR every year would probably disagree that it is just "a pile of junk."
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) manages the
National Marine Sanctuary Program for the purpose of providing maximum public
access to marine resources while, at the same time, protecting those resources
for future generations through a comprehensive stewardship program.
For historic shipwrecks such as the MONITOR, permits are required for access,
but several dozen artifacts have been recovered from the MONITOR by sport
divers who are not archaeologists. We have worked out a system whereby divers
record and photograph the artifacts, then review the data with an
archaeologist on the boat (usually me); then the objects are recovered and
taken to The Mariners' Museum in Newport News, VA where they will be
documented, studied, and where many will be placed on public exhibit and made
available for exhibit in other museums. The private divers I've worked with
over the past few years have been extremely professional and enthusiastic in
their support and cooperation. The results from their research and the
artifacts they have recovered have made a major contribution to NOAA's
research and management program at the MONITOR.
I'll be the first to agree that there are some "power-hungry, un-elected
bureaucrats" out there, but there are also some irresponsible citizens who are
"in it for themselves" with no concern for others. Let's face it, we wouldn't
need ANY laws if everybody was nice. That's just not the way things are. (We
should be grateful that MOST of us are pretty nice most of the time, or things
would be a lot worse!) I, for one, was not always a bureaucrat; however, I
chose to become one because I could (and still can) see ways to help protect
and preserve our natural and cultural environment through government programs.
I also enjoy working with sport divers, civic groups, school groups, and
others who share my enthusiasm for maritime things. Please don't write us all
off as a bunch of uncaring, mindless bums.
There are lots of success stories that point out the benefits of
public/private cooperation. I would like to encourage divers to find
conservation and preservation programs to support. You will be making a
worthwhile contribution to our future--and having fun doing it
John D. Broadwater
MONITOR Nat. Marine Sanctuary
NOAA/Bldg. 1519
Ft. Eustis, VA
804-878-2973
jbroadwater@oc*.no*.no*.go*.
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