In New Hampshire, the state’s historic preservation laws are codified in Chapter 227-C of Title XIX, which states that all submerged historic resources are property of the state.  This makes all acts of looting of any shipwreck illegal under New Hampshire law.  However, the law does provide a provision for artifacts to be removed from submerged cultural resources when a curation agreement is made with the State Historic Preservation Office (NPS 1987).

The Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1988 is the primary legislation covering the shipwrecks located in Lake Winnipesaukee waters.  The Abandoned Shipwreck Act of 1988 is a federal law protecting shipwrecks.  The act essentially assigns ownership of abandoned ships or shipwrecks with no rightful owner to the respective states in whose waters they are located.  The act also states that the owner of shipwrecks located on federal land or US territorial waters is the United States.  The problem that this law is trying to address is primarily underwater salvage of archaeological sites.  The main goal of this law is to give shipwreck management guidelines for individual states to adopt if they wish to do so.  The “Abandoned Shipwrecks” that the act refers to are shipwrecks that have generally gone 30 days without being claimed.  Because of modern environmental laws, most recent shipwrecks will not be abandoned because many states have laws requiring the owners of the boats to recover the vessel.  If not recovered, the owner will face significant fines for damaging modern boats due to the environment when they sink (NPS 1987).

While this is a complex topic, I will summarize some basic principles below.

• Don’t touch or remove artifacts: Avoid touching or removing artifacts that are part of cultural heritage, as they may be subject to legal protections.  
• Report unauthorized activities: Report any unauthorized activities or potential damage to wreck sites.  
• Be aware of laws: In NH these laws are the Abandoned Shipwreck Act and NH Chapter 227-C of Title XIX.
• Be aware of hazards: Be aware of hazards such as fishing line, nets, and loose pipes, cables, and wires.
• Use a wreck reel: Use a properly laid line from your wreck reel to safely get out in an emergency.
• Control your buoyancy: Practice good buoyancy. Do not kneel or rest on shipwrecks. Good buoyancy helps with visibility!

The primary causes of damage to shipwrecks in Lake Winnipesaukee are the looting of artifacts and structural damage caused by anchor and downrigger strikes. Please do not take artifacts from shipwrecks; this can cause damage, which takes away from the experience of future divers and the shipwreck’s archeological significance. When anchoring, please do not drag your anchor into the shipwreck! This can cause significant damage! The accepted method of anchoring is to drop a marker buoy (shot line) on the shipwreck’s GPS coordinates to use as a descent line. This allows you to anchor your boat a respectable distance (at least 25 feet) from the shipwreck to avoid damaging it with your anchor! Please keep our shipwrecks intact for future generations of divers and archaeologists!