Posted by J.M. on January 30, 1999 at 05:12:17:
In Reply to: Illegal to search for shipwrecks posted by KJL on January 29, 1999 at 13:20:01:
: Has any one heard or doe's any one know why the state wants to make it illegal to search for wrecks on the great lakes
I have heard that there are individuals in the State of Michigan who work in natural resources that would like to see such a law pass. Presently, of course, it is not illegal to do so but I believe that it is tempting for many who wish to have more control to have such laws.
Even though passing such a law seems unlikely I understand that there are people at Michigan State University that are presently involved in a study, using coastal managment funds, to suggest reccomendations to State lawmakers about that very issue. One of the questionable aspects of this study is that the people who are conducting it are using taxpayer funds to make recommendations to lawmakers for the distribution of taxpayer revenue (ask me sometime what you should do with your money and I can gaurentee you that I can make some great investments for you!?!?).
The problem, it seems, lies in how much control resource "managers" have in what happens to the wrecks. When private individuals find wrecks then the possibility/belief exists that these resources are irreparably harmed through ignorance and mistreatment and to some extent this is true. I my opinion, what the people who want these types of laws fail to recognize is that there are far more important harms going on that can not be legislated against then shipwreck finders. For example the zebra mussels have done morein one year to make shipwrecks inaccessible to anyone then all of the ignorant divers have in thirty years. Also, as a taxpayer and a shipwreck diver, I would much rather see my taxz dollars; a) returned to me if they don't have a legitimate use for them; b)Used for infrastructure rather spending huge amounts to try and control a very small group of individuals.
In short, as a freedom-loving, overtaxed, over-regulated person, I am not in favor of such a law.
J.M.