The Success of the South Carolina Sport Diver Archaeology Management Program

Abstract

In 1991, the Maritime Research Division of the South Carolina Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology, College of Arts and Sciences, at the University of South Carolina, initiated the Sport Diver Archaeology Management Program. The program combines management of divers’ recovery of submerged archaeological and paleontological material through licensing with a robust public education and outreach component. This chapter addresses the outcome of these initiatives: what has succeeded, what has fallen short, and what future directions must be taken to encourage responsible and sustainable public involvement in the interpretation and protection of these finite and fragile resources.