Hi Wrecked Diver,
Go to this website and read the 2001 UNESCO text (some cool pictures as well)
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001528/152883E.pdf
The bottom line is that UNESCO is trying to get all countries to adopt the rules and regulations they have written which supposedly “protect” shipwreck sites. Their theory is that in-situ-preservation is the only acceptable way to deal with shipwrecks. Most countries have adopted these rules, but Ecuador hadn't until July of this year.
As Don Mackay pointed out, before 1997 (more or less) the shipwreck salvage law in Ecuador was that the “finder was entitled to 50% of the intrinsic value of the finds and that payment would be in the form of 10-year Ecuadorian bonds”. His group found the Capitana and convinced the Government to rewrite the law, making it profitable for the company to salvage the wreck. Now, 10 years later, the new president of Ecuador has decided to toss out the old law and adopt the UNESCO methods for dealing with shipwrecks.
So your question was how does UNESCO effect salvaging in Ecuador? It has affected it because Ecuador has adopted most of the "rules" and has basically prohibited private salvage, and ownership of colonial shipwreck artifacts. The new law says that contractors can still work a deal with the government; however the contractor will be responsible for all expenses, all conservation, and paying government officials to supervise the work and after all is said and done, the contractor will be rewarded with 25% of the value of the metal that the coins were made of. Silver is going for around $10.00 and ounce, a piece of 8 is close to an ounce, hence for each piece of 8 discovered the contractor will receive about $2.50. The contractor will not get ANY division, cannot own ANY artifacts and NOTHING is allowed to leave the country. That’s how it stands right this minute, but things could change very soon if the lawyers working on the law make any headway.
Bill
