The second meeting of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Body took place at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, on 15 April 2011.

After discussing the most significant factors negatively affecting underwater cultural heritage, and assessing the current status of underwater archaeology, the Advisory Body adopted the following resolutions and recommendations:

• to raise awareness of underwater cultural heritage among development and resource extraction projects, fishers, divers and other stakeholders;
• to facilitate mapping and inventorying of underwater cultural heritage in order to allow for the elaboration of predictive models;
• to make underwater cultural heritage impact assessments a mandatory prerequisite for development and resource extraction projects, and to impose sanctions if this requirement is not met;
• to establish protected areas where fishing is not allowed, and to introduce physical protection measures in order to mitigate the damage caused by fishing and trawling;
• to establish competent national authorities and to provide these authorities, as well as research and capacity-building initiatives with the necessary funds to ensure their proper functioning. 

Final report and recommendations of the second meeting: EN | FR