Abstract
The Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987 is perhaps the most important piece of recent federal legislation enacted affecting underwater archaeology and the preservation of underwater historic sites. With this short statute, the federal government vested title to virtually all historic shipwrecks in navigable water to the states. The act also changed existing legal principles in order to allow the states to enact their own laws to protect and preserve underwater historic resources. This article begins with a discussion of the Abandoned Shipreck Act of 1987- what it is, what it does and how it has changed the law related to abandoned shipwrecks. The article continues with a survey of state historic preservation agencies. The data consisted of questionnaires sent to 57 states and U.S. territories seeking reaction to the act. Given an opportunity to comment on this new legislation, the vast majority of the recipients responded.
Recommended Citation
Victor, Kelly A. and Victor, Gary M.
(1991)
"The Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1987 and the Reaction of State Historic Preservation Offices,"
The Geographical Bulletin: Vol. 33:
Iss.
1, Article 2.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.kennesaw.edu/thegeographicalbulletin/vol33/iss1/2
