Refining and Revising the Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf Region High-Probability Mode for Historic Shipwrecks: Final Report. Volume 1: Executive Summary;Rept. for 2000-2003

摘要

For 20 years, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) has required cultural resources assessments for oil and gas leases in the northern Gulf of Mexico. These assessments reflect the obligations of the MMS relative to the identification, protection and management of prehistoric and historic properties that may exist on Federal lands in this area. In 1989, the Texas A&M Research Foundation conducted a study for MMS (Garrison et al. 1989) to identify high-probability areas and establish remote-sensing survey guidelines and equipment requirements most appropriate for locating historic shipwrecks on the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) in the Gulf of Mexico Region (GOMR). Over the years, deficiencies in the 1989 model of historic shipwreck distributions and occurrences have been noted, plus new remote-sensing technologies have been developed that have application to the MMS program of offshore surveys. The present study was undertaken to refine the model of shipwreck distributions presented in the 1989 study and reevaluate the survey strategies and instrumentation recommended.