Cultural and Historic MPA Resources

Marine protected areas can encompass an area that has been set aside because a ship, aircraft, or other cultural artifact rests on or is embedded within the sea floor. These resources may also be embedded within a federal MPA established for natural heritage conservation purposes. The knowledge gained through careful research and analysis of historical artifacts scattered throughout our oceans and Great Lakes is fundamental to understanding our heritage. By continuing to preserve, protect, and respect these nonrenewable resources, we can ensure that our nation’s cultural resources are available for future generations.

Examples of cultural resources found in the United States can include historic shipwrecks, submerged remains of piers and docks, historic remains of habitation, sunken naval vessels and aircraft, and submerged prehistoric remains.

The National Marine Protected Areas Center partners with various agencies, states, and tribes that manage submerged cultural resources within the marine environment. The MPA Center also collects information about cultural resource sites and conducts needs assessments to provide tools that might assist MPA managers who manage submerged cultural resources.

Read the report from a workshop held in November 2005:
Data Needs for Marine Cultural Resource Management: Federal MPA Agency Workshop

Additional Federal Resources on Shipwrecks and Other Cultural Resources
NOAA's Maritime Heritage Program is committed to preserving historical, cultural, and archaeological resources within the national marine sanctuaries. The Maritime Heritage Program's mission is to protect, promote and explore maritime heritage through a national program embracing heritage resources in the nation’s evolving coastal, marine, and Great Lakes stewardship.

NOAA Ocean Explorer allows users to follow the adventures of ocean explorers around the world through interactive and educational features on the website. Viewers can choose from current explorations and those from past years.

NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey's Automated Wreck and Obstruction Information System contains information on more than 10,000 submerged wrecks and obstructions in the coastal waters of the United States. Information includes latitude and longitude of each feature along with brief historic and descriptive details.

The National Park Service Submerged Resources Center’s mission is to inventory and evaluate submerged resources in the national park system and assist other agencies, nationally and internationally, with underwater heritage resource issues.