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With the increase of interest in underwater cultural heritage over the past decades, it is necessary to raise worldwide awareness of the value of sunken cultural heritage, and to engage decision makers in taking steps to protect these cultural treasures.

Environmental changes, such as climate change, stronger erosion and current change can pose a threat to underwater cultural heritage sites. On the other hand underwater cultural heritage can, however, tell us a lot about historic climate change that once impacted the life of our ancestors.

It is a scientific fact; sea levels have been rising due to climate change. The relationship between rising sea levels and the vertical displacement of the earth’s crust leads to changes in the sea levels on the continental margin. Thus, accounting for these changes is essential in planning and executing archaeological surveys on the continental shelf. Climate change can also lead to the destruction of many sites, due to a change in conservation patterns, change of currents and the introduction of new animal species in waters. 

Biological degradation of wooden wrecks occurs naturally. However, climate change is contributing to bacterial spread. Research on underwater cultural heritage must respect the environment. This is governed by the Rules annexed to the 2001 Convention. Environmental studies can also contribute to the preservation of underwater cultural heritage.

Modern equipment and technological tools facilitate underwater archaeology, but also allow for treasure hunting.  Extensive pillage is now also taking place under water.

Pillage is the theft of historical artefacts from a heritage site in violation of the law and without authorization. Diverse communities can be involved, ranging from occasional and opportunistic souvenir hunting by sport divers to specialized treasure-hunt enterprises. Pillage also often desecrates the grave sites. The 2001 Convention provides for strong measures, preventing the pillaging of underwater cultural heritage. They range from direct site protection measures to the interdiction of trafficking pillaged artefacts, port closure, seizure, sanctioning and international cooperation in the investigation and pursuit.

Every State, seeking to protect its underwater heritage from pillage has an interest to ratify the Convention.

Brochure on Pillaging

Commercial exploitation is the legal recovery of artefacts from a heritage site with the aim of putting them up for sale. This phenomenon is especially to be observed on underwater archaeological sites. Commercial exploitation operations regularly violate scientific standards of excavation of archaeological sites

The 2001 Convention stipulates in Article 2.7 as overarching principle that underwater cultural heritage should not be commercially exploited. This regulation is in conformity with the moral principles that already apply to cultural heritage on land.

Every State, seeking to protect the world’s underwater heritage from commercial exploitation has an interest to ratify the 2001 Convention.

Ancient fishing sites are of great archaeological interest, as for instance net weights and fishing hooks from historic periods are a source of knowledge both on fishing and on the site in question. Trawling activities are today a major issue concerning the preservation of underwater cultural heritage. Its impact on the sea floor is particularly devastating.

The 2001 Convention provides a comprehensive framework for increasing the legal and operational protection of underwater cultural heritage. In addition to the Convention, many practical tools and forms are available to protect underwater cultural heritage.

The threats to underwater cultural heritage are multiple. The coasts, oceans and seabed are increasingly exploited and used for economic activities. Infrastructural projects in coastal areas or littoral zones can have a significant impact on underwater archaeological heritage. Many activities and construction works have an impact on the environment by generating pollution, causing erosion or modifying currents, and many of them can affect submerged archaeological sites, such as sunken cities or ancient wrecks.

To mitigate these undesirable industrial impacts, the 2001 Convention states in Article 5 that "Each State Party shall use the best practicable means at its disposal to prevent or mitigate any adverse effects that might arise from activities under its jurisdiction incidentally affecting underwater cultural heritage".

Nowadays, coastlines, oceans and the seabed are increasingly exploited and used for economic activities. Infrastructure projects in waterfronts or coastal areas, such as harbor extension or dredging projects, bridge construction, pipeline and cables lying, although necessary for the economy and the well-being of society can have a great impact on submerged archeological heritage, which is frequently present close to the coast. Many of these activities impact the environment by increasing pollution, erosion or changing currents, and many of them can affect sites holding submerged cultural heritage, such as sunken cities or ancient shipwrecks.

Many underwater cultural heritage sites, especially however prehistoric now submerged, landscapes, are impacted by the extraction of sand and gravel ; which carries with it flint stones and bones. 

Though these industries are becoming regulated under national and international frameworks, in order to reconcile interests while protecting the sea bed, cultural sites need better monitoring, inventory and accurate data flow to balance economic interests and protection of the seabed.  Information about fragile heritage on the seabed is also needed in planning other marine activities such as cabling, dredging, fish farming, extracting gravel, laying pipelines, and renewable energy platform building. Developing the seabed in a way that facilitates the protection and research of underwater cultural heritage depends on the collaboration between academia and industry.