Page 270 - Manual for Activities directed at the Underwater Cultural Heritage

 © C. Beltrame. The Mercurio shipwreck, a brig sunk in the 1812 during the battle of Grado. Discovered and damaged by fishing trawling activities.
The impact of the fishing trawling activity on the sea floor of the Italian coasts of the North Adriatic sea is particularly devastating. It has been calculated that from the introduction of
the fishing ships with engine
every square meter of the sea bottom has been covered at
least three times.The impact
of the fishing activity on the shipwrecks is similar to the impact of the agriculture on the land archaeological sites.The "rapido" and the "turbossofiante" are the tools used by the Adriatic fishing fleets.The first one is composed of four rectangular metal boxes with iron teeth on the bottom which are the entrance of the nets.These boxes are towed with chains and they drag over the sea floor impacting the sand for at least some centimeters deep.They are able to damage the obstacles and they are able to move heavy objects.
but the reduction of impact on the sea-bottom is a welcome side effect.
So far, concern about the impact of fisheries has focused on the ecosystem and neglected the underwater cultural heritage as illustrated by the UN General Assembly Resolution 61/105 of 8 December 2006 on sustainable fisheries.
The discussion on the impact of fisheries in the context of underwater cultural heritage has, however, begun. This crucial debate is marked by assumptions. Moreover, it is often diverted, leading at times even to a misuse of the threats posed by fisheries as an excuse for even more destructive activities. These complications are not very helpful for putting the real impact of fisheries into perspective.
Large-scale industrial fishing techniques are benthic and do not affect underwater cultural heritage. Stationary fishing techniques are not very intrusive either. It is, however, undeniable that fisheries using ground tackle have an impact on the sea-bed, all bottom life and by extension on those archaeological phenomena that occur right at the sea-bottom surface. Apart from the side effect of important discoveries through trawlers catching artefacts in their nets or by losing their nets after collision with a site, ground tackle has had effects on archaeological sites that have become ever more detrimental with increased engine power.
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Environment