Categories of Licence

Details of the distinctions between the different categories of licence are as follows:

Visitor

This category of licence is normally used for sites where there is no active work, but a need for regular monitoring because of active erosion or visits by unauthorised divers. Non-intrusive photography is permitted under this licence. Such a licence would not normally require access to a high level of archaeological expertise and a nominated archaeologist would not normally be required.  If a licensee did need advice, the primary source would be the appropriate heritage agency

Survey

This is the most common category of licence issued. It is intended to cover a wide variety of non-intrusive site investigation such as:

• photography and video;
• measuring distances between objects;
• compiling site plans;
• recording seabed topography, and;
• measuring and drawing objects on the seabed.

This type of work is the most important part of pre-disturbance archaeological fieldwork, but the skills required are straightforward technical ones which can be learnt from training courses provided by the Nautical Archaeology Society (NAS). Unlike excavation, non-intrusive survey work should not represent a disturbance to the site.  This means that nominated archaeologists would need to give on-site advice on only the most vulnerable sites.

Surface Recovery

This licence is limited to the recovery of artefacts or other archaeological material exposed on the seabed without disturbing the underlying material or stable sediments.  An identified archaeological advisor would be needed to help develop the required research design (including approved treatment and disposal strategies for recovered material), and ensure its implementation, as well as having an input into the analysis and interpretation of items recovered from the site.  However, in some cases it would not be necessary for the archaeologist to visit the site.

Excavation

Any activity which involves disturbance of the site requires an excavation licence.  This licence will not normally be issued until a completed pre-disturbance survey and project design has been submitted to the relevant heritage agency.  In most cases the direction of such activities would have to be under the control of an archaeologist with the appropriate expertise. This archaeologist would need to be on site for most of the time excavation was taking place.

Licences are issued, for a fixed period of time, to a named individual, for the purpose of carrying out specific tasks.  The ACHWS places particular importance on the applicant's plans to publish his/her research in assessing whether or not to issue a licence.

Licences are issued with a number of conditions, which will normally cover the following:

• All divers are named on a schedule issued by the appropriate authority. Additional names can be added to the schedule during the dive season if required by contacting the issuing authority;
• Activities within the designated area must be limited to those agreed with the issuing authority and noted on the licence;
• Intrusive activities are carried out under the direction of the approved archaeologist;
• Any artefacts recovered are given immediate conservation treatment in accordance with the research design and the advice of the nominated archaeologist;
• A report on activities must be submitted to the issuing authority in time for the most appropriate meeting of the ACHWS;
• Records of survey or excavation activities must be deposited with the appropriate heritage agency.

Anyone can apply for a licence to dive on Designated Wreck Sites. For sites in England, Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish waters, forms can be obtained from English Heritage, Cadw, Historic Scotland and the Environment and Heritage Service respectively. Completed forms should be returned to the issuing authority, where they will be put forward for consideration by the Advisory Committee.

Standard Conditions on Licences
Download a PDF document of the standard conditions on licences issued for English waters.(14.8 kb).

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