By Stefano Ambrogi
LONDON (Reuters) - Many historic shipwrecks in the English Channel are in danger of being destroyed by deep-sea fishing, according to evidence published by a U.S. salvage firm that has a commercial interest in one of the wrecks surveyed.
The study, by Wreck Watch International, on behalf of U.S. treasure hunters Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc, says many important wrecks risk being lost forever if they are not given more protection.
Last year, publicly-quoted Odyssey located the site of the previously lost HMS Victory, that may be laden with a cargo of gold coins now worth over one billion dollars.
The Florida-based firm is in negotiation with the British government over salvage rights and has kept the location of the wreck secret.
The Victory, a predecessor of the ship commanded by Admiral Horatio Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, was the pride of the British fleet when it sank in 1744.
Wreck Watch's report, which includes photographic evidence of wrecks entangled with fishing nets, says important archaeological sites are under pressure from trawlers, scallop dredging and natural erosion.
Of the 267 wrecks examined in the western English Channel, 112, or 42 percent, show destruction or damage from direct trawler and fishing practices, the report concludes.
"We've identified 10, including HMS Victory ... that we feel have to be taken out of harm's way," marine archaeologist and author of the study Sean Kingsley told BBC radio.
"Trawlers and scallop dredgers are the bulldozers of the deep -- as they go along the sea bed they literally plough it. They have teeth and chains which are designed to extract scallops and to drag flatfish into nets," Kingsley said.
"They plough the sea bed up to 8 centimetres, grinding away the archaeology, exposing new remains," he said.
MIXED REACTIONS
But the report, and the actions of Odyssey to date, have divided marine archaeologists, some of whom say Odyssey is overstating the damage done by fishing practices to satisfy its own ends and its shareholders.
"Odyssey is trying to persuade the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to give it a licence to excavate the Victory. The MoD is evaluating the position and deciding whether to leave the wreck in situ," said Robert Yorke of the UK's Joint Nautical Archaeology Committee.
"Because it is a warship, Odyssey has no salvage rights on this ship -- so the only way they can make any money ... is by persuading the government to let it excavate it," he said.
He told Reuters he had not seen any solid evidence produced by Odyssey of trawler damage done to the Victory to date, although other sites may well have been scarred by deep sea fishing techniques.
Speaking to BBC radio, Mark Beattie-Edwards of the Nautical Archaeology Society was split on whether shipwrecks should be raised to protect them or left alone.
Citing the UNESCO convention on underwater heritage, he said in situ preservation was the preferred option, though in instances where recovery would make a significant contribution to protection or knowledge then recovery may be inevitable.
"It also states, however, that recovery for commercial gain is against the principles of the convention," he added.
(Editing by Steve Addison)
