Oceans Without History

sustainability
Article
Oceans without History? Marine Cultural Heritage
and the Sustainable Development Agenda
Jon Henderson
Underwater Archaeology Research Centre, Department of Classics and Archaeology, University of Nottingham,
Nottingham NG7 2QL, UK; jon.henderson@nottingham.ac.uk

Received: 13 August 2019; Accepted: 12 September 2019; Published: 17 September 2019
Abstract: This paper aims to set out the role Marine Cultural Heritage (MCH) can play in informing
responses to global challenges and enhancing the sustainable development of coastal zones. This
requires recognition of the importance of MCH as a knowledge base amongst marine ocean scientists,
policy makers and marine stakeholders on the one hand and a greater effort by marine heritage
specialists to engage with the 2030 Agenda on the other. The forthcoming UN Decade of Ocean
Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030) provides an opportunity to engage with the sea
more widely but it is argued that the cultural element provided by considering past human action
is currently lacking. The importance of understanding human interaction with the sea in terms of
gaining a more complete picture of human history is briefly presented and a definition of MCH as all
past action in the human zone is given. The article then sets out how MCH can enhance sustainable
development in the marine zone with particular reference to SDG14 considering heritage tourism,
coastal development and infrastructure, development aid policy, climate change, coastal management,
fisheries and the offshore industry. The article highlights that the knowledge and data from MCH
should be seen as crucial in evidence-based decision making across the coastal and marine sectors.
The paper concludes that the inclusion of MCH approaches in initiatives aiming at coastal and ocean
sustainability is not just advisable—it is essential.
Keywords: Marine Cultural Heritage; maritime archaeology; sustainable development; SDG 14;
resilience; Blue Economy; Ocean Science
1. Introduction
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development sets out 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
to address the multiple and complex challenges our planet faces in the twenty-first century [1]. SDG
14, Life Below Water, is a key goal of the 2030 Agenda with its stated aim to ‘Conserve and sustainably
use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development’ while, more broadly, a concern
with healthy oceans and sustainable coastal activity runs through many of the SDGs. Simply put,
ensuring sustainable oceans and seas is critical to sustaining human life. Our very survival as a
species is dependent upon healthy oceans and seas as they provide half of the world’s oxygen, store
carbon dioxide, and contain 80 percent of life on the planet [2]. They also supply a major food source,
upon which more than 3.1 billion people depend to provide at least 20 percent of their daily protein
intake, and they directly support the livelihoods of 10% to 12% of the world’s population [2], pp. 6–8.
Although there is a recognition that oceans and seas play an important role in human well-being,
and that activity on and around them (particularly related to tourism and leisure) can lead to social
and economic benefits, the long-term cultural importance of the marine environment remains largely
unrecognised. In particular, the potential role of marine heritage in helping to achieve the goals of
SDG14 remains untapped. This paper aims to set out the role that Marine Cultural Heritage can play in
informing responses to global challenges and enhancing the sustainable development of coastal zones.
Sustainability 2019, 11, 5080; doi:10.3390/su11185080 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability

Sustainability 2019, 11, 5080 2 of 22
The United Nations SDGs are setting the global agenda and are going to be instrumental to
national academic research strategies and, in turn, research funding support up until at least 2030. If
maritime archaeology is to progress, establish itself in modern practice, and realise its full potential,
then it needs to respond to the 2030 Agenda. As a unique resource with knowledge and experience
that can contribute to the goal of sustainable development in the marine zone, the importance of
marine cultural heritage has so far been completely neglected. This is perhaps unsurprising given the
maritime archaeological community has not so far directly addressed the 2030 Agenda and is, instead,
viewed from outside the profession as focussing on the preservation and protection of the resource
rather than what it can offer in terms of economic, social and cultural benefits. As a result, maritime
archaeology is a resource-poor discipline which is seen by many governments and institutions as a
further financial burden they can ill afford.
The problem is two-fold: while maritime and coastal archaeologists are not addressing the
challenges set out in the SDGs, the SDGs themselves do not consider marine cultural heritage as an
important aspect in achieving coastal and ocean sustainability. While the SDGs have been commended
for mentioning the importance of culture in a development context for the first time, it could be argued
that they do not go far enough in stressing the central role of culture in achieving human-centred,
inclusive and ethical development. In fact, ‘cultural heritage’ is only directly referred to twice in the text
accompanying the 17 development goals and their 169 targets, with no single goal emphasising the need
to identify and incorporate traditional and past human practices into sustainable management plans.
The next decade has been termed the Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
2021–2030, a UN initiative that aims to create a common framework for supporting stakeholders in
studying and assessing the health of the world’s oceans. Although the ‘Roadmap’ for the initiative
states that, “’Ocean Science’ should be interpreted broadly as encompassing: social sciences and human
dimensions” there is no consideration of maritime archaeology or the importance of marine heritage in
the 51-page document [3]. The rich data sets that maritime archaeological approaches can provide are
current being overlooked and the subject is in danger of being left behind.
The implications of the current state of affairs are potentially calamitous. As long as the importance
of cultural heritage is not recognised as a critical and valuable knowledge base, sustainable development
initiatives in the marine zone will be less likely to succeed and, worse, will undermine the identities
and wellbeing of coastal communities.
2. Seeing the Sea: The Sea as a Connector

The social, economic and cultural progress of humanity has always been closely connected to the
sea. From the spread of human groups in early prehistory to the importance of container shipping and
maritime commerce to modern economies today, sea travel has remained central to the development
and maintenance of human societies. It seems odd then that it enjoys, at best, a supporting role in
dominant historical narratives. In such narratives, it is common to read about the industrial and
agricultural revolutions with little or no mention of the vital seafaring revolution that took place long
before them [4–6]. In this modern age of air travel, it is perhaps all too easy to underestimate the role
of the sea. It is somewhat ironic that as global sea levels continue to rise, an awareness of the sea as
a driver of human change and development has fallen at a similarly dramatic rate. This may seem
odd given the importance of the sea to human life and development but it reflects a long held, and
hard to break, conceptual division between land and sea prevalent globally in academia, legislation,
government and public perception.
The separation of land and sea as conceptual and physical entities may seem to be one of
the most basic and non-problematic divisions of the natural world but it is ultimately responsible
for the underappreciated role of the importance of the sea in human history. Terrestrial heritage
takes precedence and is dominant in historical narratives, while marine and underwater heritage
is usually regarded as supplemental and optional. Despite the fact that pioneers such as George
Bass [7] recognised from the outset that maritime archaeology should not be viewed as a separate
subject or distant cousin to archaeology carried out on land, it is still widely regarded as an exotic
add-on to ‘mainstream’ terrestrial research. Archaeologists continue to be labelled ‘underwater’ or
‘maritime’ archaeologists if their research involves work in the sea, the implication being that maritime
archaeology is something apart from the archaeological ‘mainstream’ on land—something glamorous
and adventurous but not fundamental to the discipline, something not to be taken too seriously.
Although it should be self-evident that studying past human interaction with the sea is vital to
the human past as a whole, the majority of universities still offer no, or at best limited, provision in
maritime archaeology. Equally, the capacity for nations to fully record, study and protect their marine
heritage through professional services remains far behind that of terrestrial capacity, especially in
developing countries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS) where the threats to that heritage are
often more intense.
The separation of terrestrial and maritime approaches has masked the importance of the sea
to developments on land and has made it easier for terrestrial and maritime archaeologists and
historians to stay within their own information silos. Although the situation is improving [8], maritime
archaeologists still tend to talk to other maritime archaeologists at specialised conferences where often
the only aspect uniting their research is the environment in which they work. This has inevitably led to
either myopic discussions focusing on individual sites or artefact groups in isolation (still a problem in
shipwreck archaeology) or to wider discussions being limited to methodologies, new technologies,
legislation and protection rather than the development of wider ranging historical narratives, research
themes or theoretical debates [9].
More widely, UNESCO consider underwater and terrestrial heritage in different departments, as
do most government bodies, funding bodies and organisations. The UNESCO focus on protecting
underwater cultural heritage, through encouraging member states to sign the 2001 Convention on the
Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage [10], has the unintended consequence of removing
underwater heritage from wider heritage discourse. Maritime archaeology is generally not considered
in World Heritage debates—and even when it is, talk is often of isolated marine ‘treasures’ which can be
counter-productive [11]. Perhaps it is no surprise then that UNESCO have identified public, scientific
and political awareness as one of the fundamental issues to tackle in an effort to increase the protection
of underwater cultural heritage (UCH) worldwide (Article 20 of the 2001 Convention). Certainly,
underwater cultural heritage is different from terrestrial heritage in that unless they can scuba dive the
vast majority of people have never even seen it first-hand. As a result, and in direct contrast to terrestrial
heritage, few communities are aware of the historical context or value of maritime archaeology.
This artificial separation between maritime and terrestrial affairs permeates throughout human
bureaucracy. Legal structures and laws are different when we reach the shoreline—traditionally land
and sea are treated differently. Clearly, we need a more joined up cultural approach to the sea that
fully recognises its central role in the development of human societies past and present. Just as the
sea connected communities in the past, it should serve to connect scientific approaches, management
approaches, historical narratives, and human activities in the maritime space today.
Marine Cultural Heritage: Overcoming the Land/Sea Division

Over the years, the reach of maritime archaeology has broadened from the study of individual
shipwrecks to the consideration of entire maritime cultural landscapes [12,13]. The concept of the
maritime cultural landscape was introduced in 1992 by Christer Westerdahl to provide a more
comprehensive understanding of maritime archaeology through the study of the ‘human utilization of
maritime space by boat: settlement, fishing, hunting, shipping and its attendant subcultures’ [12], p. 5.
The incorporation of coastal monuments and traditions not only enhanced the understanding of
underwater sites but also maritime culture more widely. Crucially, maritime cultural landscape
approaches link the land and sea together to embrace the totality of the potential space affected by
human maritime action [14,15]. This maritime space can be both physical and conceptual in that it
‘should include any hermeneutic kind of human relationship to the sea’ [16].
Building on the marine cultural landscape concept, all past human action on the coasts as well as
directly on the sea can be combined to constitute Marine Cultural Heritage. There is little to be gained
in dividing land and sea—human involvement with the sea did not begin and end at the shoreline. As
such, Marine Cultural Heritage (MCH) encompasses tangible remains such as shipwrecks, submerged
settlements, coastal settlements, ports and harbours, maritime ecologies, and geology as well as equally
vital intangible components such as cultural practices, artistic and linguistic expressions, local skills,
traditional and historical knowledge. The reach of MCH is then similarly broad and includes its
relationship to economic development, environmental management, social justice, education and
identity. ‘Marine’ is the preferred adjective here as it relates to all things pertaining to the sea and
as such encompasses all activity associated with the oceans while ‘maritime’ is usually used in a
more restricted sense to refer to sea travel, shipping and exploration. ‘Marine’ also fits in with the
terminology used in the Ocean Sciences and by marine stakeholders in spatial planning, conservation,
tourism, ecological services, engineering and development more generally. ‘Marine’ is not used to
negate or replace the term ‘maritime’ as it is used in archaeological contexts but rather to flag the
relevance and utility of heritage as a usable knowledge base to current marine stakeholders who might
not otherwise think it is relevant to their activities.
Ultimately, MCH is concerned with human relationships (physical, cultural and conceptual) with
the sea and as such it is an essential part of understanding the human past. Interaction with the sea and,
in particular, the development of seafaring is a fundamental part of the human experience—indeed, it
was the development of seafaring that set us apart from our ancestors [17].
We are only just beginning to fully appreciate how crucial the sea was in terms of human
development. For example, the relatively recent realisation that sea levels were up to 130 m lower at
the height of last glacial maximum (26,000 BP) reaching present day levels only around 5000 years
ago has begun to garner the attention of terrestrial archaeologists (Figure 1). Vast swathes of the
coast where prehistoric populations would have settled 30,000 to 5000 years ago to exploit as wide a
variety of resources as possible are now underwater [18]. Most of the major events in world prehistory
occurred when sea levels were much lower than today including the global dispersal of our own
species, development of our cognitive powers, fishing and seafaring, navigation, maritime trade,
the origins and expansion of farming, and the beginnings of the first civilisations in the Near East
and the Mediterranean [19]. It goes without saying that existing accounts of world prehistory are
severely lacking without taking submerged coastal areas into account in the same way that it would
be impossible to understand modern society without referring to coastal cities like New York, Rio de
Janeiro, London, Mumbai, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai or Sydney.
Sustainability 2017, 9, x FOR PEER REVIEW 5 of 22
Figure
Figure 1. Global
1. Global seasea levelatatthe
level the height
height of
ofthe
thelast glacial
last maximum
glacial (26,000
maximum BP) and
(26,000 end
BP) of the
and endlast
of Ice
the last
Age and beginning of the Holocene (12,000 BP) [20]. Land that is now underwater marked in red
Ice Age and beginning of the Holocene (12,000 BP) [20]. Land that is now underwater marked in red
(diagram by Fraser Sturt).
(diagram by Fraser Sturt).
As isAs is the
the casecase with
with thethe focusofofinfrastructural
focus infrastructural development
development today, coasts
today, were
coasts key key
were areasareas
in thein the
past where human development happened. They were not boundaries or marginal spaces but were
past where human development happened. They were not boundaries or marginal spaces but were
(and continue to be) theatres of innovation—human coastal settlements were key nodes of interaction
where contacts and communications were negotiated and major technological advances were made.
Strategies for the sustainable development of coastal areas is a key issue today—archaeological
approaches can provide data on human activity along the coasts over millennia which can help inform
future strategies.
Marine Cultural Heritage (MCH) has the potential to bring widespread and sustainable benefits
to coastal regions. Globally, the potential and importance of MCH has not yet been realised. Critically,
it is under threat everywhere, not only from commercial exploitation and illegal looting (which signing
the 2001 convention mitigates against) but also from natural forces and climate driven coastal change
as well as intensification in coastal and offshore development. We are losing the MCH resource before
we have had a chance to harness its potential. Local capacity to utilise MCH, particularly in developing
countries and SIDS, is limited and urgently needs enhancing through investment in ethical sustainable
development programmes.
3. The Challenge: SDG 14 and Sustainable Ocean Management

With its focus on conservation and the sustainable use of marine resources, SDG14 is concerned
with current and future human interaction with the oceans. The key SDG14 targets and indicators are set
to mitigate against five main threats: unsustainable fishing practices, loss of coastal and ocean habitats,
invasive species, pollution, and the effects of climate change. As well as stressing the vital role healthy
oceans perform in stabilising climate and supporting life on earth, SDG14 recognises the potential
economic and social benefits that sustainable use of marine resources can provide. These benefits are
normally expressed as enhanced food security, sustainable energy generation, poverty eradication
through marine orientated livelihoods, as well as the development of coastal and marine tourism.
Sustainable ocean management is seen as key to achieving the aims of SDG14. Traditionally, such
management strategies have been driven by purely scientific solutions and/or economists seeking
to make practices more efficient through adding a tangible monetary return [21,22]. The latter has
led to the concepts of a ‘Blue Economy’ or ‘Blue Growth’ entering into common policy usage in an
international context. The creation of a ‘Blue Economy’ is a key approach in the sustainable use of the
oceans that has been embraced in particular by Small Island Developing States such as Grenada [23–26]
but is applicable to the utilisation of coastal areas worldwide. A ‘Blue Economy’ is one that uses
ocean resources sustainably to create jobs, promote economic growth and enhance social inclusion
while also improving ocean ecosystem health. Creating an effective blue economic strategy involves
creating economic benefits from a range of marine activities centred on clean technologies, ethical ocean
waste management, renewable energy, climate change mitigation, viable seabed extractive activities,
sustainable fisheries, effective aquaculture and enhanced coastal tourism.
While environmental sciences and ecological approaches have had a major role in the development
of the ‘Blue Economy’ concept, and indeed remain the focus of SDG14, the potential role of marine
heritage has not been considered beyond paying lip-service to the role of archaeology and heritage in
the enhancement of coastal tourism.
However, as people and communities remain at the centre of development, there is a growing
awareness that the arts, humanities and social sciences have a key role to play in the development of
effective management strategies, especially if those strategies are going to be sustainable.
In her 2014 TED talk on Sustainable Ocean Management, Nicola Crane used the following quote:
We need to have a common understanding around management, so that everyone agrees

and supports it. Understanding the old ways, and the impacts of the new ways, can help
protects the oceans for our children, and their children.
She was not quoting an academic or development specialist but a local chief from Asor Island on
Ulithi Athol, Micronesia, who was addressing his community about proposed conservation practices.
As she points out, he does not tell his people what to do because he understands that if he enforces a
plan there is a good chance it could fail. Instead, he tries to get the support of the community around a
common problem they all face and, significantly, makes reference to past practice as well as future
action. As a member of the community, he fully understands the importance of cultural context and
that an awareness and mediation of local practice is crucial to establishing any meaningful activity.
Achieving effective conservation practices and sustainable economic development requires a
cultural awareness and respect for the communities in the areas where development is taking place.
People are at the centre of any sustainable development initiative and it is their direct action that
enables change to take place. Solutions cannot be simply imposed from outside—no matter how strong
the scientific evidence to support them—without the active involvement and support of local people.
In 2015, UK aid supported a £6 million African Development Bank project to build high-tech landing
platforms in coastal villages in Madagascar to modernise traditional fishing practices. The initiative
failed as the platforms were never used. A subsequent report by the Independent Commission for Aid
Impact (Icai) revealed that these platforms were not being used due to a failure to consult with local
communities as to what they actually wanted [27]. The science behind platforms was sound but a lack
of consideration of cultural context and particularly a lack of understanding of local fishing traditions
resulted in the failure of the initiative.
If nothing else, MCH has a key role to play achieving successful sustainable development in that
it can provide a deep awareness of local traditions and practice. Too often Western perspectives drive
ocean conservation and sustainable management plans worldwide. Coastal communities in developing
countries are expected to adopt plans that Western scientists came up with, without taking into account
that these communities have been living by the sea successfully for thousands of years. Equally the
problems these communities are now experiencing are most often a result of the actions of the Global
North rather than their own cultural practices. We need to recognise this and avoid ‘sustainable
development’ being a stand-in for neo-colonialism with initiatives implemented by academics and
scientists from the Global North with no involvement from local communities and limited knowledge
of existing and past traditions.
Having an awareness of local community beliefs, heritage and culture should be at the core of
developing new sustainable ways of living. Local ecological knowledge and cultural practice (past
and present) are drivers of change—as such, local communities should have a voice in the creation
of development projects with a clear recognition that their knowledge can inform those projects and
ultimately make them more sustainable.
3.1. Marine Heritage Tourism

The usual link made between cultural heritage and economic development is heritage
tourism [28,29]. Tourism is one of the strongest drivers of world trade and a major tool for poverty
alleviation with cultural tourism, in particular, accounting for 40% of world tourism revenues [30].
As a labour-intensive sector, tourism can have a positive impact on low-income and disadvantaged
groups who form a crucial part of the tourism supply chain. Data from the UN World Tourism Agency
(UNWTO) show that tourism activity in developing countries accounts for 47% of global tourism as
a whole [31]. However, to date, the coastal tourism of developing countries and SIDS has tended to
concentrate on natural resources such as marine life and coral reefs: MCH as a resource has been
underdeveloped and undervalued.
There is a growing recognition that submerged cultural heritage such as shipwrecks or sunken
settlements can open up coastal tourism opportunities in terms of recreational diving [32–34]. For
example, the shipwrecks of the Egyptian Red Sea are a major attraction for divers from all over the world
and are an important economic asset for the country. Recreational diving on the SS Thistlegorm—widely
regarded as one of the most spectacular wreck dives in the region—brings an estimated 4 million euros
into the local economy every year [35] (Figure 2). Worldwide, national authorities are creating dive trails
and submerged archaeological parks to nurture diving tourism economies [36–39]. This is of special
importance for developing countries adjacent to the ocean and SIDS, who can greatly enhance their tourist
attractiveness through the discovery, quantification and presentation of their underwater resource [40].
FigureFigure
2. The 2. popularity
The popularity of the
of the SSSSThistlegorm
Thistlegorm inin the
theRedRedSeaSeaasas
a dive
a dive tourism location
tourism has come
location has at
come at
a cost. Up to eight dive charter vessels each carrying around 25 divers visit the site daily over the
a cost. Up to eight dive charter vessels each carrying around 25 divers visit the site daily over the
summer season. These vessels weighing over 40 tonnes attach their mooring lines directly on to the
summer season. These vessels weighing over 40 tonnes attach their mooring lines directly on to the
superstructure of the wreck resulting in sustained damage. Current activity is unsustainable and a
superstructure
management of plan
the wreck resulting
for continuing in sustained
tourism on the sitedamage.
is needed Current activity
(Photo credit: Alex is unsustainable and a
Mustard).
management plan for continuing tourism on the site is needed (Photo credit: Alex Mustard).
Equally, investment in museums conserving and exhibiting marine heritage can also bring
Equally,
beneficialinvestment
and sustainable in museums conserving
economic returns and show
[41]. Studies exhibiting
that ‘everymarine
USD heritage
invested incan also bring
heritage
beneficial and sustainable
increases the economiceconomic returns
activity around the[41].
site Studies
by a factor show that ‘every
between 1.2 to USD investedoninthe
8, depending heritage
significance
increases of the site
the economic and the
activity form of
around itssite
the valorization
by a factor bybetween
museums1.2 andtoindividual
8, depending access’
on[42]. When
the significance
of the presented
site and the in form
an accessible and sustainable
of its valorization way, marine
by museums heritage is access’
and individual a significant tourist presented
[42]. When draw, in
attracting millions of people. For example, the Swedish Tourist Board has estimated that the salvaged
an accessible and sustainable way, marine heritage is a significant tourist draw, attracting millions of
Swedish 17th century AD warship Vasa has contributed hundreds of millions of dollars into the
people. For example, the Swedish Tourist Board has estimated that the salvaged Swedish 17th century
Swedish economy since its recovery in 1961 [43]. The Vasa Museum in Stockholm, which houses the
AD warship Vasahull
largely intact hasofcontributed
the vessel, was hundreds
built in 1988of and
millions of dollars
is the most visited into
museumthe inSwedish
Sweden,economy
receiving since
its recovery
more thanin 1961 [43].visitors
1 million The VasaeveryMuseum
year. These invisitors
Stockholm,
spend which
an averagehouses
of EURthe200
largely intact
per day hull of the
on hotels,
vessel,meals
was andbuiltother
in 1988 and isbringing
expenses, the most an visited
estimated museum
EUR 200inmillion
Sweden, (USDreceiving moreincrease
260 million) than 1inmillion
spending
visitors per year
every year. to Stockholm,
These excluding
visitors spend the museum
an average entry200
of EUR feesper[41],day
p. 17.
onInhotels,
the UK, the Mary
meals and other
Rose Museum is rated as the top tourist attraction in Portsmouth,
expenses, bringing an estimated EUR 200 million (USD 260 million) increase in spending closely followed by HMS Victory
per year to
and HMS
Stockholm, Warriorthe
excluding museums
museum ships,
entryreceiving
fees [41], over
p. 300
17. Inhundred
the UK, thousand
the Mary visitors
Rose each
Museumyear [44],
is rated as
whereas the SS Great Britain is the number one tourist destination in Bristol attracting over 173,500
the top tourist attraction in Portsmouth, closely followed by HMS Victory and HMS Warrior museums
visitors in 2013 and bringing in an income of £3.7 m [45].
ships, receiving
Tourism over 300 hundred
related to the MCH thousand
could bevisitors each year
a significant and as[44],
yet whereas the SS Great
largely unexploited Britain
driver for is the
number economic growth. However, despite this opportunity it is prudent to add a caveat here. Governments in an
one tourist destination in Bristol attracting over 173,500 visitors in 2013 and bringing
income areofoften
£3.7allmtoo [45].
keen to harness the potential of heritage to promote and enhance coastal tourism but
Tourism related
such activities to the
must MCHethically
be done could be anda sustainably.
significant Thereand as is yet largelyrealisation
a growing unexploited driver for
amongst
heritage practitioners that simply intensifying activity is ultimately unsustainable
economic growth. However, despite this opportunity it is prudent to add a caveat here. Governments and detrimental to
the very survival of heritage.
are often all too keen to harness the potential of heritage to promote and enhance coastal tourism but
For example, taken as a whole the Mediterranean coasts and beaches are the most popular tourist
such activities must be done ethically and sustainably. There is a growing realisation amongst heritage
destinations in the world. Of the 220 million tourists who visit the Mediterranean every year, over
practitioners that simply intensifying activity is ultimately unsustainable and detrimental to the very
100 million head to the beaches and this coastal tourism is vital to the economies of Mediterranean
survival of heritage.
For example, taken as a whole the Mediterranean coasts and beaches are the most popular tourist
destinations in the world. Of the 220 million tourists who visit the Mediterranean every year, over
100 million head to the beaches and this coastal tourism is vital to the economies of Mediterranean
countries [46]. However, this mass tourism is also one of the main causes of ecological and heritage site
loss in the region. Since the 1960s, there has been major infrastructural development along the coasts
to support this ever expanding tourist industry which has dramatically altered the natural dynamics
of coastal ecosystems and destroyed countless archaeological sites and landscapes in the process [47].
At present, more than half of the 46,000 km Mediterranean coastline is urbanized, mainly along the
European shores, while a fifth of the coastline lies under concrete or tarmac. This has had a devastating
impact on coastal and submerged heritage sites. For example, at the popular tourist island of Hvar, off
Croatia, 30% of all Prehistoric to Roman sites have been destroyed without record to make way for
tourism developments and 65% of shipwrecks looted [48]. Equally, for some SIDS intensifying tourism
is already exacerbating the effects of climate change and coastal erosion [49].
Managed sustainably, tourism around MCH represents an economic, social and cultural
opportunity with transformational potential for the future growth and prosperity of Global South
coastal states and SIDS where exiting coastal tourism is either predominantly land-based (beaches)
or if recreational diving exits is focussed expressly on the natural environment (marine life and
reefs etc.). Developing sustainable heritage tourism strategies should be a priority for marine heritage
professionals both to establish the importance of the resource and to ensure its protection. That said,
the reach and importance of MCH should not be simply limited to tourism—heritage is an essential
part of human culture which can provide data and knowledge that can inform future human action.
3.2. Coastal Development and Infrastructure

Human settlements have always concentrated in the coastal zone as it offers a rich range of
resources and transportation options, particularly in locations where rivers meet the sea. Today, coastal
ecosystems are experiencing unprecedented levels of change from increasing population densities
and rates of urbanization which are far outstripping those inland [50,51]. UN data published in
2007 indicated that just over 40% of the world’s population lived within 100 km (around 63 miles)
of the coast. Projections expect around 58% of the world’s population to be coastal by 2050 [52]. As
construction and coastal infrastructure activity increases in this zone, pressure on coastal ecosystems
and resources (including marine heritage) will increase.
The intensity of coastal urban development in China has been particularly high (more than three
times the national rate), driven by resettlement strategies that drive coastward migration and specific
national policies aimed at developing a strong marine economy [53,54]. The construction of new
super-ports and the development of port cities as special economic zones is a key part of China’s marine
economic strategy. So far, heritage has had little or no role to play in this marine economy revolution
other than as a tool to support territorial claims in disputed waters in the South China Sea [55].
Instead, Chinese port development projects such as the Dalian Diamond Bay regeneration, the
largest port in Northeast China, are about creating entirely new and ultra-modern spaces by the sea.
Dalian Bay has a rich and complex history. In 1898, it transformed from a small fishing village into a
major commercial port city under Russian investment and control. In the 1930s, it passed into Japanese
hands and then after the Second World War it once again fell under Russian or rather Soviet control.
In 1950, the USSR handed the city over to the Chinese government with Soviet troops finally leaving
the city in 1955. Dalian’s cityscape used to reflect this history, with late 19th and 20th century Russian
and Japanese architecture surrounded by gleaming new commercial skyscrapers. Now many of these
significant historic buildings have been destroyed or are earmarked for demolition.
The focus of the Dalian Diamond Bay development work is instead on constructing a thoroughly
modern city with a stated emphasis on ecological impact and sustainable design. Although the new
development plan claims to ‘celebrate the city’s historical and industrial legacy’, it follows the Chinese
approach seen elsewhere along the coast—tearing buildings down and then building up rather than
building on what is already there. The new city is being designed around squares (reportedly using Paris as
a role model) and the construction of new spaces based around ‘Axes of Prosperity’ identified as Financial
Services, Research and Development, Cultural and Tourism, and Production [56]. This has involved
reclaiming land into the water with no prior archaeological assessment or survey taking place. The Dalian
Bay interdisciplinary development team included architects, environmental scientists, ecologists, transport
specialists and engineers but did not include heritage specialists, historians or archaeologists [57].
assessment or survey taking place. The Dalian Bay interdisciplinary development team included
In failing to consider scientists,
architects, environmental the role ecologists,
existing local heritage
transport could
specialists and play in informing
engineers sustainable
but did not include
development design and helping provide a real
heritage specialists, historians or archaeologists [57]. sense of place and identity, Dalian Bay is no different
than the majority
In failingoftocoastal
considerdevelopments that are
the role existing localtaking place
heritage across
could playthe in world.
informing It issustainable
more common
development
for developers todesign and helping
view heritage as aprovide
barriera real sense of place and
to development identity,
rather than Dalian
an asset—aBay is situation
no different that is
than the majority of coastal developments that are taking place across the
often not helped by the perceived primary focus of the marine archaeological community on in-situ world. It is more common
for developers
protection. However, to view
by notheritage
beingasincluded
a barrier into development
developmentrather than an
strategies notasset—a
only issituation
the value thatofisMCH
often not helped by the perceived primary focus of the marine archaeological community on in-situ
failing to be communicated, the resource is being destroyed before we have had a chance to record and
protection. However, by not being included in development strategies not only is the value of MCH
utilise its potential.
failing to be communicated, the resource is being destroyed before we have had a chance to record
There are other dangers in not having a strong professional heritage voice and awareness in the
and utilise its potential.
development Thereprocess.
are other The main
dangers in ‘heritage’
not having tourism investmentheritage
a strong professional in Dalian voicehasandbeen the construction
awareness in the
alongdevelopment
the waterfront of what
process. The appears to be atourism
main ‘heritage’ replicainvestment
of Venice replete
in Dalian with
has 4been
km (2.5 miles) of canals,
the construction
gondola
alongrides, Italian architecture
the waterfront and frescoes
of what appears (Figure
to be a replica of3). Although
Venice repleteitwith
is dubbed
4 km (2.5 themiles)
‘Venice of the East’
of canals,
gondola rides, Italian architecture and frescoes (Figure 3). Although it is dubbed
by local media, Dalian East District Corporation, the developers, instead use a bland but less culturally the ‘Venice of the
East’ by local media, Dalian East District Corporation, the developers, instead
loaded name—the ‘East Montage’—to refer to the colossal $1.26 billion development. While admitting use a bland but less
they culturally
took Venice loaded name—the they
as a blueprint, ‘East claim
Montage’—to
it is not refer to the colossal $1.26copy
a building-by-building billionof development.
the famed Italian
While admitting they took Venice as a blueprint, they claim it is not a building-by-building copy of
town but rather a system of canals that allow visitors to pass through more than 200 ‘European-style
the famed Italian town but rather a system of canals that allow visitors to pass through more than
castles’. What is certain is that the development has no connection with the rich maritime past of
200 ‘European-style castles’. What is certain is that the development has no connection with the rich
Dalian or the communities
maritime past of Dalian or that
thelived and continue
communities to live
that lived and there.
continue to live there.
Figure
Figure 3. Welcome
3. Welcome to Venice,
to Venice, China:canals,
China: canals, European
European palaces
palacesand
andgondoliers at Dalian
gondoliers (Photo
at Dalian credit:credit:
(Photo
Sarah Ward).
Sarah Ward).
Chinese port infrastructure expansion is, of course, not restricted to mainland China, the Chinese
Chinese port infrastructure expansion is, of course, not restricted to mainland China, the Chinese
government’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as the One Belt One Road (OBOR) or the
government’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), also known as the One Belt One Road (OBOR) or the
Maritime Silk Road, is a development strategy involving investment, infrastructure development and
Maritime Silk Road, isinaover
port construction development
152 countriesstrategy involving
throughout investment,
the world [58]. Otherinfrastructure
world powers,development
including the and
port construction in over 152 countries throughout the world [58]. Other world powers,
US, UK, Russia and the Gulf states, are also concerned with extending their maritime influence, including the
US, UK, Russia
driven and
by the the Gulf states,
globalization are also
of world concerned
economy and an with
urge extending their maritime
to control maritime influence,
routes and driven
access to
by the globalization
energy resources of
as world economy
they become and an urge
increasingly to control
scarce. maritime
As a result, routestheand
throughout access
world MCHto energy
is
threatened
resources bybecome
as they intensifying coastal infrastructure
increasingly scarce. As adevelopment.
result, throughout the world MCH is threatened by
The development of the coastal regions
intensifying coastal infrastructure development. of East Africa provides an example of what is happening
elsewhere in the world. Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique are undergoing a period of profound
The development of the coastal regions of East Africa provides an example of what is happening
elsewhere in the world. Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique are undergoing a period of profound
change as the economy of the region gains momentum. The region’s maritime zone is central to
these developments with offshore exploration for oil and gas deposits driving outside investment,
coupled with major financing of new and established ports to facilitate trade with the Gulf countries.
In addition to aid and private investment from both the UK and other Western governments, China
and Saudi Arabia are funding major infrastructural and development projects across this region. While
these developments have the potential to realise short-term economic, developmental and employment
benefits, there has been little consideration of the impact of this work on East Africa’s outstanding but
largely unstudied coastal and marine heritage.
Development aid agreements very rarely take account of cultural heritage even though access to
it is considered a fundamental human right [59]. East African counties currently have little capacity
to protect or explore their rich maritime heritage and, as a result, the socio-economic potential of
MCH in the region has yet to be realised. Worse, while the submerged resource is being impacted
by marine exploitation, commercial salvage and offshore industry, the coastal resource is being
threatened by building and development work as well as climatic and environmental change and even
some green-energy projects. MCH is a fragile and finite resource, which once destroyed can never
be recovered.
The current threats are encapsulated in the ongoing port development work adversely affecting
Lamu Old Town, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Kenya that is widely regarded as one of the oldest
and best-preserved examples of Swahili settlement in East Africa [60]. In 2012, construction began on a
$23 bn (£14.5 bn) super-port on Lamu Island which is set to include a 32-berth port, an airport, railway,
motorway, an oil refinery and an oil pipeline linking Lamu to South Sudan and Ethiopia. Despite the
fact that UNESCO opposed the plans stating ‘there can be no doubt that a project of this scale cannot
help but have profound negative impacts on the heritage of the island’ [61] and, most significantly,
there were extensive protests from the local community whose livelihoods rely on traditional fishing
and tourism, the work proceeded.
The Lamu corridor infrastructure project is a key part of the Kenyan government’s development
strategy, Kenya Vision 2030 [62], which aims at transforming Kenya into an industrialising
middle-income nation by 2030. They state that the project will bring benefits to the Kenyan people as
a whole, citing a projected expansion of Kenya’s GDP by an extra 2%–3%. However, it is less clear
how much of this profit trickles down to local communities particularly those most at risk. In Lamu,
traditional fishing accounts for around 75% of the local economy and the cultural practices associated
with this activity are crucial to the identity of communities in the area [63].
From 2014, deep dredging accompanying the construction of the port and the closing of crucial
fishing grounds sparked off significant local opposition and Lamu was placed on the WMF World
Monuments Watch list. Various local community groups such as Save Lamu, the Lamu Youth Alliance
and The Lamu Coastal Indigenous People’s Right for Development became increasingly active in
lobbying the Kenyan government to preserve the environmental, social and cultural integrity of the
Lamu community (Figure 4). In 2018, the Kenyan High Court found the government had violated the
residents’ rights as they had not involved them in the project’s design [64]. Significantly, this was seen
as a violation of the indigenous residents ‘right to culture’ with the Lamu corridor project ordered to
include a specific programme for public participation with Lamu residents on the project’s impact
on culture and how to mitigate adverse effects [65]. The court recognised traditional fishing rights
as cultural rights and acknowledged their interdependence with other fundamental rights, ordering
the government to pay over 17.5 million USD in compensation to 4600 fishermen in Lamu for loss of
livelihood caused by the port development work. Despite this ruling, Lamu’s rich MCH continues to
be threatened with Lamu community groups currently protesting against the construction of a Chinese
funded coal plant on the island and an offshore US funded wind farm.
Figure 4. Lamu residents protest at the construction of a port at the historic town (Photo credit: ATP
Figure 4. Lamu residents protest at the construction of a port at the historic town (Photo credit: ATP
Tony Karumba).
Tony Karumba).
The Lamu High Court ruling demonstrates that cultural heritage can play a vital role in
The Lamu High Court ruling demonstrates that cultural heritage can play a vital role in redressing
redressing indigenous community rights, supporting individuals and communities to convey
indigenous
identitiescommunity
and values,rights,
fosteringsupporting individuals
social inclusion and communities
and ensuring they have a sayto convey identities and
in infrastructural
values, fostering social
developments inclusion
that directly and
affect ensuring
their they
way of life. have a say
Indigenous in infrastructural
coastal communities acrossdevelopments
the world that
directly
areaffect theirtoway
struggling retainof their
life. sense
Indigenous coastal
of community andcommunities across
cultural identities as the world
society are struggling
undergoes rapid to
change associated with globalisation, development and disparity. These changes
retain their sense of community and cultural identities as society undergoes rapid change associated are contributing to
their lack of ‘voice’
with globalisation, in important
development andeconomic
disparity.and cultural
These decisions
changes affecting theirtolives
are contributing theirand often
lack of ‘voice’
undermining the intrinsic sustainability of these groups. The Lamu case highlights
in important economic and cultural decisions affecting their lives and often undermining the intrinsic the importance of
including local communities and their cultural heritage in development plans. Not only does this
sustainability of these groups. The Lamu case highlights the importance of including local communities
ensure that development is more inclusive, it creates fewer delays for developers and, most
and their cultural means
importantly, heritage indevelopments
that developmentare plans.
moreNot
likelyonly does
to be thissupported
locally ensure thatanddevelopment
therefore more is more
inclusive, it creates fewer delays for developers and, most importantly, means
sustainable. As the UN Development Programme notes ‘[g]rowth can be inclusive and can eliminate that developments
are more likely
poverty onlytoifbe locally supported
all segments and therefore
of society, including more sustainable.
the marginalized, As theofUN
share the benefits Development
development
Programme notes ‘[g]rowth
and participate can be inclusive
in decision-making’ [66]. and can eliminate poverty only if all segments of society,
including theCoastal regions around
marginalized, sharethetheworld willofneed
benefits further infrastructural
development development
and participate as coastal [66].
in decision-making’
Coastal regions around the world will need further infrastructural development with
populations increase. In this context, heritage needs to be recognised as an important resource as coastal
social, cultural and economic value that, rather than being a barrier to sustainable development, can
populations increase. In this context, heritage needs to be recognised as an important resource with
work to make development more socially aware, ethical and effective.
social, cultural and economic value that, rather than being a barrier to sustainable development, can
work to
3.3.make development
Development Aid Policy more socially aware, ethical and effective.
MCH has
3.3. Development Aidan important but so far completely unappreciated role to play in the long-term
Policy
sustainability and ultimately the success of coastal and marine development. This is true as the
MCH has antakes
development important
place butbut
MCH so should
far completely unappreciated
also be taken into considerationroleat to
theplay
policyinlevel
thewhen
long-term
overseas aid
sustainability andagreements
ultimately arethe
made. Currently,
success MCH isand
of coastal not part of thedevelopment.
marine international, national
This isortrue
localas the
coastal development
development takes placepolicy
but MCHlandscape,
should again
alsocontributing to social
be taken into and economic
consideration under
at the use of
policy the when
level
resource and, worse, its destruction. Developmental aid and investment policies, as well as cultural
overseas aid agreements are made. Currently, MCH is not part of the international, national or local
heritage and coastal management approaches, need to avoid violations of the economic, social and
coastal development policy landscape, again contributing to social and economic under use of the
cultural rights of vulnerable communities if they are to be successful.
resource and, worse, its
A significant destruction.
proportion Developmental
of the estimated aid and
US $23 billion investment
funding policies,
for the Lamu as well
Port-South as cultural
Sudan-
heritage and coastal management approaches, need to avoid violations of the
Ethiopia-Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor project (of which the Lamu port development is a part) economic, social and
cultural rights
comes fromof overseas
vulnerable
aid. communities if they
This is significant givenare
theto be successful.
ethical obligations of aid-funded projects and,
A significant proportion of the estimated US $23 billion funding for the Lamu Port-South
Sudan-Ethiopia-Transport (LAPSSET) Corridor project (of which the Lamu port development is a part)
comes from overseas aid. This is significant given the ethical obligations of aid-funded projects and, in
particular, the responsibility of donor states not to violate human rights [67]. As access to cultural heritage
is considered a human right (Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights), it follows that
cultural heritage should be considered when projects are funded and when they are curried out.
Certainly, it is common practice in most countries to carry out Environmental Impact Assessments
(EIA) when infrastructural projects take place. However, the standard of these assessments and their
ability to fully take account of cultural heritage is variable. Often, the heritage elements of such
assessments are extremely limited, entirely desk-based and simply consider the impact on ‘known’
archaeological sites in the area without taking into account the potential existence of unrecorded sites
(especially important in the marine zone where national datasets—where they exist—are far from
complete) or, significantly, the wider impact of development on intangible cultural heritage perhaps
the most crucial elements in terms of social cohesion, identity and well-being.
As the Lamu example demonstrates, infrastructural development projects need to avoid violations
of the economic, social and cultural rights of vulnerable communities if they are to be successful.
Development projects, especially where overseas aid funding is utilised, should be integrated and
coherent with the past and present history of the local communities they impact—inclusive of the needs,
expectations, and challenges faced by all groups within those communities (including all genders and
minority groups). In coastal developments, an awareness of MCH can play an important role in issues
related to identity, social cohesion and sense of place as well as providing usable data on how to better
prevent and manage environmental risks.
Developmental aid success is usually measured against short-term visible economic gains at the
expenses of broader long lasting social, cultural and environmental benefits—a consideration of MCH
can help overcome this and ultimately ensure that any strategy put in place is more sustainable.
3.4. Climate Change and Coastal Management

Current marine biodiversity and the ecological composition of coastal environments are the result
of sustained human action over millennia. It seems obvious that information from past human activity
in the marine zone should therefore inform future human action in the zone. Despite this, data and
perspectives from cultural heritage are usually not considered in current climate adaptation, resilience
strategies and coastal management plans [68]. There is currently a disconnect between both heritage
and climate science, and heritage and coastal management. Attention in the heritage sector has tended
to focus on the impacts of climate change on the survival of marine heritage rather than what that
heritage can do to inform future strategies to deal with climate and coastal change. Equally, scientists
tend to overlook heritage research on the, often incorrect, assumption that it is purely narrative-based
and qualitative rather than quantitative [69].
Tangible remains such as archaeological sites and landscapes contain information which is
fundamental to understanding human responses to climate change over time and the development of
coastal ecosystems. Equally, more intangible forms of heritage such as cultural beliefs and traditional
knowledge can reveal valuable information on past climate change and adaption. Combining these sources
with environmental archaeological science approaches such as sediment coring and faunal analyses
can create baseline data sets that can be used to determine how modern conditions are shifting due to
climate change.
The coastal regions of developing countries, and in particular SIDSs, are highly vulnerable areas
worldwide due to their exposure to climatic change, high social vulnerability and low adaptive
capacity [70]. Climatic and anthropogenic driven coastal change has serious implications for the
sustainability of coastal ways of life, particularly the most vulnerable communities whose livelihoods
often depend on exploiting natural resources [71].
Unfortunately, management strategies and conservation projects in these areas rely on short-term
baseline data that, at best, cover little more than a century, when observational records began to
be collected. As a result, projects and strategies put into place are limited as they do not fully
reflect deep-rooted ecosystem dynamics or the relative resilience of different species to the effects
of both human activities and changes driven by long-term climatic and other environmental factors.
Despite being most susceptible to sea future sea level rise, most developing countries lack adequate
reconstructions of past sea level changes and past human responses to those changes.
Data from MCH reflecting the full range of past human adaptation in the marine zone, including
responses to extreme climatic events and sea level change, have the potential to improve the resolution
and effectiveness of coastal and marine management strategies. Archaeological approaches can track
how past behaviours, beliefs, technologies and societies interacted to create and respond to climatic
conditions. For example, survey work on the northern Gulf coast of Florida has demonstrated how
Indigenous peoples adapted to 5000 years of dramatic sea level rise and shoreline retreats by relocating
their ancestors and ritual sites, changing their diets and even attempting to signal climate threats to
future generations [72]. A recent project in England and Wales, Flood and Flow, explored how old
place names reflected characteristics of the past landscape that can be used to map previous instances
of the presence of water which can then be used to create more effective flood mitigation strategies [73].
Modelling of climatic variations over time and human responses to them using archaeological
evidence creates a data set that can inform future management strategies and climatic predictions. While
obviously not offering a complete solution, an enhanced understanding of the past exploitation of marine
resources and ecosystems can inform the present use and future modelling of activity in coastal zones.
3.5. Fishing
Establishing sustainable fishing practices is a major aim of SDG14 and is essential for global food
security with more than three billion people relying on fish for critical animal protein. In total, 300
million people depend on marine fisheries, the vast majority being linked to small-scale fisheries in
developing countries. There is currently a lack of historical data on the human exploitation of marine
resources, the scales of extraction, historic effects on marine biodiversity, and the environmental legacies
of such practices over time. Archaeology can provide data on marine fauna exploitation and practice
along coastal areas spanning millennia which can be used to inform future management strategies. For
example, the identification of the most resilient species exploited by human groups in particular areas
and conditions in the past or of indigenous species now absent that could be reintroduced is valuable
information to strategies looking to rebuild overfished stocks.
As we have seen in the current situation at Lamu, as coastal development intensifies, the social
traditions and cultural heritage of Indigenous fishing communities are increasingly under threat. Such
communities are surviving repositories of traditional knowledge and practice, often maintaining
fishing and craft traditions that have developed and endured over centuries. Whilst the richness of
their MCH demands to be understood and recorded, these communities are usually amongst the
poorest in the world. In addition, the effects of human-induced climate change, marine pollution
and over-fishing have in many cases made their current practices unsustainable, making finding new
sources of income for fishing communities an emerging priority. Simple preservation of their ways of
life is not an option and would only at best serve to fossilise them in poverty.
One of the biggest challenges we face is balancing preservation and development. This is not
easy and requires anthropological work alongside the co-creation and co-production of solutions with
the communities themselves. To date, aid interventions have tended to be scientific and practical in
approach ignoring cultural sensitivities and traditions. The wider cultural concerns and context of
MCH could have a real value here in ensuring not only that solutions are identified but that they are
accepted and supported by local communities.
At present, modern fisheries management strategies tend to be implemented by governments
using scientific approaches that are insensitive to local conditions and fail to address the core concerns
of fishing communities resulting in a lack of local support and uptake [74]. Effective solutions need to
be culturally aware, incorporating and recognising past practices to bridge the gap between modern
scientific knowledge and traditional maritime knowledge. The latter has been passed down for
generations and much of it will be relevant to the sustainable management of fisheries and other
marine natural resources. Moreover, because the ideas come from the communities themselves, they
are much more likely to be respected, as recent cases from the Pacific islands have illustrated [75].
3.6. Offshore Industry

Offshore wind energy, oil and natural gas projects rarely take account of submerged heritage in
developing country contexts usually due to a lack of information on existing sites and national capacity.
As with coastal development, an argument could be made that offshore work also has a responsibility to
respect the rights of the host country to access their heritage. Although marine industries are becoming
better regulated under national and international frameworks, submerged heritage sites need better
monitoring, documentation and enhancement to be of use to local and national stakeholders. The
offshore marine industries regularly use survey and mapping technologies that could facilitate the
identification and recording of submerged heritage. By employing the leading-edge technologies used
by the offshore marine industry, there is genuine potential to develop MCH professional capacity in
developing countries. Extraction projects that take some account of submerged heritage will ensure that
benefits to the host country continue long after the projects are completed. 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 research of MCH (particularly submerged landscapes) depends
on the collaboration between industry and national authorities, where MCH is seen as an asset to
development rather than an obstacle.
4. MCH, SDG 14 and the Wider 2030 Agenda

MCH has an important but so far completely unappreciated role to play in sustainable ocean
management initiatives and in the wider success of coastal and marine development. This human
dimension should be seen as crucial in evidence-based decision-making across the coastal and marine
sectors capable of informing, as we have seen, Blue Economy initiatives such as heritage tourism, coastal
and offshore development projects, coastal management and climate change mitigation strategies,
fisheries management, as well as having a role in marine ecosystem conservation, marine spatial
planning, policy making and ocean governance more widely.
As a usable knowledge base that can address development challenges, and contribute directly
to the sustainable and inclusive prosperity of coastal peoples and SIDS, the inclusion of MCH in
approaches related to SDG14 is essential. As we have seen, MCH has a clear role to play in informing
the effective management of marine and coastal ecosystems (SDG 14.2 and 14.5); in the development
of sustainable fishing strategies (SDG 14.4; 14.B), especially in harnessing and including existing
traditional knowledge and past human exploitation strategies; in ‘the sustainable use of marine
resources, including through sustainable management of tourism’ (SDG 14.7); in the push to ‘increase
scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology’ (SDG14.A); and
in strategies to ‘enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by
implementing international law’ (SDG 14.C), particularly through the ratification and implementation
of the 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage.
However, just as the promotion of healthy oceans and the sustainable use of marine resources
cuts across the Sustainable Development Goal agenda more widely, the utility of MCH has a wider
applicability. As Nilsson et al. (2016) have convincingly argued, it is the interactions between the SDGs
that are key to the overall success of the 2030 Agenda to create a smarter, wider and more sustainable
future. Reducing the impact of human activity on marine ecosystems is not solely dependent on
initiatives around SDG 14 but also on achieving success in other SDGs. For example, considering MCH
in SDG 14 approaches forms part of the wider aim ‘to protect the world’s cultural and natural heritage’
(SDG 11.4). Equally ocean health is clearly related to the health of the terrestrial ecosystem (SDG 15)
and positive action on climate change (SDG 13). Identifying the economic potential of MCH can help to
alleviate poverty (SDG 1) while access to cultural heritage promotes general human wellbeing (SDG 3).

Using MCH data sets to enhance coastal and marine ecosystem resilience will help reduce pollution
general
and build humanfish
healthy wellbeing
stocks,(SDG 3). Using MCH
contributing data sets to
to freshwater enhance
quality coastal
(SDG 6) and
and marine ecosystem
food security (SDG2)
resilience will help reduce pollution and build healthy fish stocks, contributing
and lessening the impact of future climate change (SDG 13). The sustainable use of MCH resources to freshwater quality
(SDG 6) and food security (SDG2) and lessening the impact of future climate change (SDG 13). The
and knowledge can also contribute to creating decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) through
sustainable use of MCH resources and knowledge can also contribute to creating decent work and
employment in ‘Blue Economy’ sectors such as fisheries and coastal tourism.
economic growth (SDG 8) through employment in ‘Blue Economy’ sectors such as fisheries and
MCH
coastalis tourism.
a unique and strongly engaging medium to engage public audiences in historic narratives:
shipwrecks, submerged
MCH is a unique settlements and ports
and strongly can medium
engaging be used to convey a betteraudiences
engage public understanding not only
in historic
of specific histories, but also of climate change, commerce and the wider evolution of societies and
narratives: shipwrecks, submerged settlements and ports can be used to convey a better
understanding
their place not only
in the world of specific
[76]. Providinghistories,
access buttoalso of climate
MCH, and thechange, commerce
research and around
created the widerit, will
evolution of societies and their place in the world [76]. Providing access
help to promote free and lifelong access to educational resources (SDG4). By democratising to MCH, and the researchaccess
created around it, will help to promote free and lifelong access to educational resources (SDG4). By
to educational resources through grass-roots work with community groups, individuals and NGOs,
democratising access to educational resources through grass-roots work with community groups,
MCH individuals
can help promote equal gender opportunities (SDG5) in education. Equally, through historic
and NGOs, MCH can help promote equal gender opportunities (SDG5) in education.
parallels
Equally, through historic the
it can help promote participation
parallels it can helpofpromote
womenthe in participation
marine foodofproducing
women in strategies
marine food [77].
More widely,
producing MCH can
strategies [77].help promote ethical development through recognising the role of MCH
in overseasMore
aid-funded marine
widely, MCH caninfrastructure and offshore
help promote ethical industry
development projects
through (SDGsthe
recognising 16role
andof17).
MCH Having
in overseas aid-funded marine infrastructure and offshore industry projects
an MCH element to marine coastal infrastructure and offshore projects allows social and cultural (SDGs 16 and 17).
Having
benefits an MCH
to continue toelement
be createdto marine coastal infrastructure
after projects have finished, andbuilding
offshore resilience
projects allows
into social
those and
activities
cultural benefits to continue to be created after projects have finished, building resilience into those
and therefore enhancing the effectives of overseas aid (SDG 9).
activities and therefore enhancing the effectives of overseas aid (SDG 9).
MCH as a Facilitator for Sustainable and Ethical Development
MCH as a Facilitator for Sustainable and Ethical Development
Heritage has the
Heritage has power to interest
the power to interestlocal
localgroups andeffect
groups and effectcommunity
community level
level change
change whilewhile
at the at the
same time
same time engage at national and international levels to influence wider practice. As such, MCH hashas the
engage at national and international levels to influence wider practice. As such, MCH
powertheto link
powerhuman
to linkactivities taking place
human activities takinginplace
the marine zone—it
in the marine provides
zone—it context
provides for present
context action in
for present
action
that space in that
and, space itand,
crucially, cancrucially,
contributeit can contribute
useful data foruseful
futuredata for future
action. action. and
Knowledge Knowledge
practiceandfrom the
practice from the past should be used to inform future development strategies,
past should be used to inform future development strategies, engaging and connecting local communities engaging and
connecting
and marine local communities
stakeholders and marine
to create more effectivestakeholders to real
solutions to create more effective
challenges on thesolutions to real 5).
ground (Figure
challenges on the ground (Figure 5).
Figure 5. MCH can unite a range of sustainable activities and approaches in the marine zone.
Figure 5. MCH can unite a range of sustainable activities and approaches in the marine zone. Activities
Activities such as heritage tourism, coastal development, infrastructure work, sustainable fishing
such as heritage tourism, coastal development, infrastructure work, sustainable fishing initiatives, legal
initiatives, legal approaches and governance can all be linked and given context by heritage—these
approaches and governance
are practices carried out can all bein
by people linked and given
the present context
building on theby heritage—these
practice of the past. are practices carried
out by people in the present building on the practice of the past.
The lack of consideration of MCH is part of the failure inherent in the language of the SDGs
more widely to link culture and environment together [78]. Calls for adopting the term ‘biocultural
heritage’ which more fully reflect the diverse and nuanced relationships between communities and
their local environments are convincing [79]. MCH, as it is defined in this paper, could easily be seen
as the marine expression of a wider Biocultural Heritage (BCH) approach where cultural heritage
encompasses language, cultural memory, traditional ecological knowledge and the values of local and
indigenous communities interrelated and indivisible from the biogenetic diversity of landscapes [80].
In a very real sense, responding to global challenges is breaking down the boundaries between
academic subjects to create new interdisciplinary approaches. That said, we should still perhaps
be careful about the terminology we use and what its use may infer. The idea of cultural heritage
is a Western one and is a term that may not translate well into different cultural contexts. MCH
is not inherently sensitive of local traditions and practices and could easily become an agent of
neo-colonialism if it does not encompass its own critique of current (marine) heritage management
approaches [81].
That said, considering knowledge and data from marine heritage when devising sustainable
marine management initiatives is not simply advisable—it is essential. Without a cultural element, it is
unlikely that any initiative will be truly sustainable. There have been many examples of successful
interdisciplinary collaborations between archaeologists, ocean scientists, policy makers and other
marine stakeholders including the Archaeological and Biological Analysis of WW II wrecks in the Gulf
of Mexico [82], MACHU (Managing Cultural Heritage Underwater) [83], WreckProtect [84], SASMAP
(Development of tools and techniques to Survey, Assess, Stabilise, Monitor and Preserve underwater
archaeological sites) [85], SPLASHCOS (Submerged Prehistoric Archaeology and Landscapes of the
Continental Shelf) [86] and the CBDAMM (Capacity Building of Data Acquisition Management
Methods) Project [87]. Most recently, the Rising from the Depths MCH initiative began in Eastern
Africa [88]. Rising from the Depths is an interdisciplinary network, funded by the UK GCRF, looking
to identify how the submerged and coastal cultural heritage of Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique
and Madagascar can stimulate ethical, inclusive and sustainable economic growth in the region.
Collaboration between marine archaeologists and ocean scientists is an essential part of this
initiative—UNESCO, the Western Indian Ocean Maritime Science Association, Kenya Marine and
Fisheries Research Institute and the Society for Underwater Technology are project partners and
amongst its portfolio the network is directly funding projects looking at how traditional knowledge and
heritage data can enhance marine ecosystem management, sustainable fishing practices and inform
responses to coastal pollution and climate change. The task ahead, therefore, is to ensure that the
potential of MCH is recognised and fully integrated into sustainable development approaches in the
decade running up to 2030 [89].
5. Conclusions
The future of maritime archaeology should not simply be about individual wrecks, individual
projects or discoveries (although this will continue), it should be about raising awareness of the
importance of the sea and water contact in general—both in terms of human development in the past
and in terms of how we develop in the future. The SDG agenda has provided the opportunity to
generate a step-change in the ambition and academic profile of Marine Cultural Heritage, where it can be
established as an interdisciplinary field of research with major social, economic and cultural significance.
Over the coming century, a number of major archaeological discoveries will come from the sea. In
many ways, the future of archaeology lies underwater but equally the future of ocean management
and sustainable development needs to have a deep time perspective informed by our shared human
past if it is to be successful—we need to respect the cultural traditions of communities who have lived
by the sea for millennia. Using the past as a resource, we need to create a new way of living in concert
with the sea which also considers the needs of future generations.
A Marine Cultural Heritage outlook (prioritising human interaction with the sea in all its diversity)
could provide the conceptual framework that unites, stimulates and informs interdisciplinary responses
to the challenges set out in SDG 14. Such an outlook provides a unity to the coastal and marine
zone, created by combining conceptions of the natural and human environment, where different
approaches can come together to create more inclusive and therefore ultimately more sustainable
solutions to current challenges. Marine Cultural Heritage is not simply about archaeology, history,
ecology, geography, natural science, coastal management or climate change, it is about all of these
aspects and how societies can come together, negotiate and mediate these different approaches into
real solutions.
Funding: This work was funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council [grant number AH/R005443/1]
through the GCRF Network+ Rising from the Depths.
Acknowledgments: This article is based on a paper I presented on the 5th June 2017 at the United Nations Ocean
Conference in New York supporting the implementation of SDG 14 ‘Life Below Water’ to raise awareness of the
role marine cultural heritage can play in the sustainable development of the oceans. I would like to thank Ulrike
Guerin, Programme Specialist at UNESCO for the 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural
Heritage, for inviting me to attend and for organising the UNESCO Underwater Cultural Heritage side event at
the UN conference. The content of the paper has since grown through discussion with various colleagues over
the past two years and I would especially like to thank Annamaria La Chimia, Antony Firth, Della Scott-Ireton,
Athena Trakadas and Yvonne Shashoua for reading and commenting on the paper in draft.
Conflicts of Interest: The author declares no conflict of interest.
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sustainability

Sustainability 2019, 11, 5080; doi:10.3390/su11185080 www.mdpi.com/journal/sustainability

2. Seeing the Sea: The Sea as a Connector

Marine Cultural Heritage: Overcoming the Land/Sea Division

Sustainability 2017, 9, x FOR PEER REVIEW 5 of 22

3. The Challenge: SDG 14 and Sustainable Ocean Management

We need to have a common understanding around management, so that everyone agrees

3.1. Marine Heritage Tourism

3.2. Coastal Development and Infrastructure

3.4. Climate Change and Coastal Management

3.6. Offshore Industry

4. MCH, SDG 14 and the Wider 2030 Agenda

Sustainability 2017, 9, x FOR PEER REVIEW 16 of 22

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