A bill has been presented to the U.S. Congress to protect the wreckage of the Titanic from scavengers, a move that could help form a historic agreement, according to a maritime heritage expert.
"What we're trying to do is guide the conduct of any visitor to the site whether they be adventure tourists, scientists or whether they be salvagers attempting to enhance existing collections of Titanic artifacts," Craig McLean of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration told CTV's Canada AM.
Ever since the wreckage of the Titanic which sank in 1912 off the coast of Newfoundland was discovered in 1985, many artifacts have been taken to the surface for display or sale.
The Titanic has also been damaged by submersibles on tourist expeditions to view the wreckage, which sits over 3,500 metres below sea level.
"I think it's a live issue, but it's more symbolic than an urgent and immediate crisis, if you will," McLean told CTV's Canada AM. "It's very difficult to go two-and-a-half miles deep under the sea and visit Titanic. And it's usually a very prominent expedition when someone does attempt to go out to the site."
If the bill is passed, the United States will join Britain, Canada and France in ratifying a treaty on the matter, which was principally agreed on over a decade ago. According to McLean, the passage of the bill will clear the way for historic international co-operation.
"I think our agency and (Canada) and many other nations have worked domestically to protect sites of important maritime heritage," McLean said, "but in terms of bringing the nations of the world together in order to protect an icon like Titanic, this would certainly be the first time this has been done."
If the U.S. Congress bill passes, McLean feels it could set a precedent for similar sites.
"These are not renewable resources. These are finite and the condition that we find them in is what we want to preserve and protect," McLean said. "And as goes Titanic, I think so will go all the historic shipwrecks of the world."
