Protecting the underwater cultural heritage. The international law association draft convention

In 1994 the International Law Association forwarded to UNESCO for consideration a draft Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. Among other matters, this attempts to deal with the complex jurisdictional issues inherent in protection of the heritage beyond the territorial sea-issues raised but not satisfactorily solved by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982. A “Charter for the Protection and Management of the Underwater Cultural Heritage” prepared by the International Council on Monuments and Sites is annexed to the Draft Convention. This sets out the archaeological principles applicable to dealings with sites on the seabed.