Underwater Archaeological Society of British Columbia

Underwater Archaeological Society of British Columbia
Name	Underwater Archaeological Society of British Columbia
Formation	1982
Headquarters	Vancouver, British Columbia
Region served	British Columbia
Leader title	President

Underwater Archaeological Society of British Columbia is a non-profit volunteer organization dedicated to recording, researching, and conserving submerged cultural heritage in the coastal waters of British Columbia. The Society works with provincial bodies, university researchers, museum curators, and diving communities to document shipwrecks, aircraft, and Indigenous maritime sites, collaborating with institutions such as Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia, the Royal British Columbia Museum, Parks Canada, and the British Columbia Archives. Its activities intersect with maritime history, nautical archaeology, heritage legislation, and conservation practice involving partners like the Canadian Heritage, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and local municipalities.

History

Founded in 1982 amid growing interest in maritime heritage conservation, the Society emerged as part of a broader movement that included organizations such as the Society for Historical Archaeology, Nautical Archaeology Society, and the Advisory Council on Underwater Archaeology. Early initiatives drew on expertise from scholars affiliated with Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia, Royal BC Museum, and regional historical societies in Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Prince Rupert, and Port Alberni. Through the 1980s and 1990s the Society engaged with projects paralleling international efforts like those of UNESCO, Parks Canada, and the Canadian Conservation Institute, while responding to provincial heritage statutes and collaborations with institutions including Heritage Canada Foundation, BC Hydro, and Transport Canada. Notable influences and interlocutors have included maritime historians who studied vessels such as the RMS Empress of Ireland, HMCS RCN ships, and Pacific coastal steamships that linked communities like Vancouver, Victoria, and Nanaimo.

Mission and Activities

The Society's mission centers on surveying, recording, and advocating for the protection of submerged sites along the British Columbia coast from Haida Gwaii to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, working alongside First Nations such as the Haida, Heiltsuk, Nuu-chah-nulth, Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh. Activities include underwater survey campaigns informed by methods from the Society for Historical Archaeology, training modeled on International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) principles, and conservation practices consistent with standards from the Canadian Conservation Institute and Parks Canada. The Society liaises with agencies like Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Transport Canada, the Department of National Defence, and municipal heritage registries to support site protection measures comparable to those for designated National Historic Sites and provincial heritage registers.

Projects and Discoveries

The Society has documented numerous wrecks and submerged sites, contributing to the interpretation of maritime events related to vessels such as coastal steamships, merchant schooners, naval vessels, and aircraft from the Second World War era. Projects have involved collaborations with researchers from University of Victoria, Royal BC Museum, and Parks Canada, employing remote sensing equipment used in projects by institutions like NOAA, Canadian Hydrographic Service, and the Canadian Coast Guard. Discoveries include well-preserved hull remains, artifact assemblages relevant to trade routes linking Vancouver, San Francisco, and Seattle, and sites illuminating interactions among European mariners, Hudson's Bay Company networks, and Indigenous maritime economies. Work has also paralleled archaeological recoveries and conservation campaigns similar to those associated with the Mary Rose, Vasa, and Franklin expeditions in terms of public interest and technical challenges.

Organization and Governance

Governance follows a volunteer board model with roles akin to those in heritage NGOs such as the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, incorporating bylaws, ethics guidelines, and field standards influenced by ICOMOS, the Archaeological Society of British Columbia, and university archaeology departments. The board coordinates with legal frameworks including provincial heritage acts and federal mandates overseen by Parks Canada and Canadian Heritage, while maintaining liaison with municipal archives, regional museums like the Nanaimo Museum and Burnaby Village Museum, and research institutions such as the Royal Ontario Museum and Canadian Museum of History for cross-jurisdictional expertise.

Membership and Training

Membership draws divers from recreational and technical diving communities, maritime historians, museum professionals, and students from University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, and University of Victoria. Training programs emphasize skills in underwater recording, artifact handling, and conservation following guidance from the Canadian Conservation Institute, Nautical Archaeology Society, and International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property. The Society has conducted workshops in partnership with institutions like the Vancouver Maritime Museum, Vancouver Aquarium, and dive training organizations, and has supported student projects resembling field schools run by universities and archaeological institutes.

Publications and Outreach

The Society disseminates findings through newsletters, technical reports, and contributions to journals read by audiences connected to the Society for Historical Archaeology, International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, and regional historical publications such as British Columbia History. Outreach includes public lectures in venues like the Vancouver Public Library, Royal BC Museum, and community centers in Victoria and Nanaimo, as well as media engagement with broadcasters such as CBC, Global News, and scholarly forums including conferences hosted by the Canadian Archaeological Association and the American Cultural Resources Association.

Partnerships and Impact

Partnerships span First Nations governments, municipal archives, provincial agencies, academic institutions, museums, and conservation bodies including Parks Canada, Canadian Conservation Institute, Royal BC Museum, Simon Fraser University, University of British Columbia, University of Victoria, Vancouver Maritime Museum, and the Canadian Coast Guard. The Society's work has informed heritage designation processes, museum exhibitions, and educational programming, influencing policy discussions involving Canadian Heritage and regional planning authorities, and contributing to stewardship models shared with international bodies such as UNESCO and ICOMOS.

Category:Archaeological organizations Category:Maritime archaeology organizations Category:History of British Columbia