The role of a voluntary licensee and their team is essential to the system that helps to manage the most significant historic wrecks in the UK territorial sea. These sites provide a valuable source of evidence for a wide range of past activities, and not just those on or in the sea. The diversity of Protected Wreck Sites indicates the wealth of maritime information preserved under the sea and around the coast of the UK.
The incentives for investigating and caring for a nationally important historic wreck are broad. Licensees and their work have been featured on national television and in the national press, presented papers at conferences, contributed to local, regional and national outreach events, published their work in archaeological journals and even written booklets, monographs and developed websites. The experience can be very rewarding but it is important to note that licensees also acquire a high level of responsibility.
The backgrounds of licensees varies dramatically from divers who have been involved with sites for over twenty years because of their love of history through to professional archaeologists.
The work undertaken by licensees is extremely varied and ranges from simple monitoring to installation of diver trails. Licensees can also facilitate site access with local boat skippers being encouraged to assume the role to take visiting divers and monitor their site visits. The role of licensee can be very rewarding with some using their work on site to help facilitate degree level qualifications.
