Beyond legislation : a case for the protection of one of Malta's historic shipwrecks

Abstract

Built at La Ciotat shipyards for Messageries Maritimes, the luxury liner Le Polynesien began service between France and Australia in 1981. Torpedoed on 10th August 1918 a few kilometres off the Maltese coast, the 152 metre shipwreck today forms part of the island's underwater historic heritage. Lying at a depth of over sixty metres, it is a unique attraction to visiting technical divers contributing to this niche tourist market. Unfortunately, to date, there is no evidence of a strategic plan intended to protect or manage this historic shipwreck. Motivated by current international trends to make historic shipwrecks accessible to divers while ensuring proper protection and management of sites, this work explores measures that may possibly be employed so that Le Polynesien receives the attention it deserves. The work reports on the experience of ten technical divers with a collective experience of more than 133 dives on this wreck who participated in focused interviews. These divers felt that this historic shipwreck should be protected by establishing a 'No Stopping Area' around the wreck and installing permanent moorings. The interviewees also complained of the lack of interest by entities responsible for the wreck and the gap that exists between these entities and divers. This division does not reflect today's trend where bona fide divers are considered as important stakeholders in the management of historic sites. The interviewees also felt that, as is the case for terrestrial historic heritage, efforts must be made to ensure that this heritage can also be enjoyed and appreciated by the non-diving community.