Submerged Cultural Resources

• Programmatic Agreement (PA) for Historical Resource management in FKNMS among NOAA, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and the State of Florida was executed in June of 1998 (Strategy R.1: SCR Management).
• Since June of 1998, 21 permits have been issued in accordance with the guidelines established in the Pa (Activity under section III. E of PA).
• 13 SCR permit are currently active in FKNMS.
• Permit information incorporated into a Global Information System (GIS) database to facilitate management decision making.

• FKNMS established a "Shipwreck Trail" for public access and education on SCR's in the sanctuary. Nine (9) sites are included in thee ST program.
• FKNMS education staff active in presenting information on the Shipwreck Trail program to general public, SCUBA diving community, and the marine archaeological community (Activities under section III. C. and D of PA).
• FKNMS has developed a Submerged Cultural Resource Inventory Team staffed by volunteers to document and inventory shipwreck sites within the sanctuary. This team has preformed a vast amount of underwater and archival research with has resulted in the documentation of 660 sites in a four volume set entitled "Underwater Resources of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary Northeast Region." (Activity 2 - Establish SCR Inventory)
• The NOAA Office of law Enforcement has investigated alleged looting of one ship in the 1733 Spanish Fleet and FWCC Sanctuary enforcement officers continually monitor SCR sites for violation of sanctuary regulations. (Activity 4 - Ensure permit Compliance through Enforcement).