Marine Historic Environment

The seabed makes up almost 50% of Scotland (out to 12 nautical miles offshore). Throughout history, Scotland’s coasts and seas have provided a source of food and energy, a means of defence from invasion, and a springboard for trade and communication between neighbouring communities and across oceans. As a result, a wide range of archaeological sites can be found on the foreshore and seabed.

Scotland's marine historic environment

Scotland’s marine historic environment comprises:

• remains of ships and aircraft lost at sea
• harbours, lighthouses and other structures relating to transport and trade by sea
• remains of human settlement at the coastal fringe. In some cases, sites may now be underwater as a result of changes in sea level
  

Although these sites are out of sight for most of us, Historic Scotland’s policy is that, so far as is possible, the nation’s underwater heritage should be managed, protected and investigated as carefully and thoroughly as its terrestrial equivalent.

Live issues

In 2005, Historic Scotland completed a Marine Review of the agency’s work in connection with the marine historic environment and appointed a Senior Inspector for Marine Archaeology, to help progress matters at sea.  On 5 March 2008, Scottish Ministers launched a consultation on a Scottish Historic Environment Policy (SHEP) for the marine historic environment including proposals to protect nationally important marine historic assets in Scotland's territorial waters as part of a Scottish Marine Bill.  In order to help the historic environment sector (including Historic Scotland) to identify the operational issues, challenges and opportunities of new marine legislation for the historic environment and the sector, Historic Scotland has recently published a discussion paper in association with a marine taskforce set up by the Built Environment Forum of Scotland (BEFS).  

Information on the Marine (Scotland) Bill can be found here