As we received the exciting news that divers recovered the propeller from the Civil War ironclad U.S.S. Monitor, which rests in a national marine sanctuary, our thoughts turned to the thousands of ships submerged in the waters managed by state coastal resource managers. Were they having the same kind of success in preserving and documenting submerged cultural resources?
What we discovered as we researched the cover story for this edition of Coastal Services is that the romantic notion many of us have of shipwrecks belies the complexity and enormity of this management issue. While there are no easy solutions for managing this unique resource, the State of Michigan shows us that partnering and communication are key to moving this issue forward.
Michigan's underwater preserve program has had a major economic impact on the state by attracting tourists, and has done much to educate the public on the importance of these resources. Many issues, however, still remain to be faced.
No specific monies are provided to the Michigan preserves for management or protection of the resources. Divers and salvagers continue to outstrip the state's ability to search for undiscovered vessels, which often results in valuable archeological information and artifacts being destroyed.
These are just a few of the problems facing all coastal managers dealing with this issue. Many of the problems will need to be solved with legislation and funding from both federal and state governments. But, communication is a proactive step that coastal managers can take now.
We can work to educate the public and our leaders about the value of submerged cultural resources; create a coalition of grassroots support with other interest groups; and share information about our cultural resources with other agencies that might impact or support the sites.
As the articles in this magazine illustrate, coastal resource managers are navigating many large and complex issues. Much of our success comes from good communication and partnering. We hope you will communicate with us, and let us know how Coastal Services can better serve you.
-- Margaret A. Davidson
