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From: baillod
Category: Shipwreck Research
Date: 12 Sep 2005
Time: 02:29:24
Remote Name: 66.188.135.117
Paul, I was misquoted by the papers. However, you and I both know that the burden of proof, like it or not, is currently on the individual to show that a wreck is not state owned. The DNR, Coast Guard, or Police, will arrest you if they catch you removing anything from a Wisconsin shipwreck. You will then have to prove that the state doesn't own the wreck and it will cost more money that it's worth, even if you do win. The ASA does have faults and needs to be rewritten to be meaningful. However, it is poor public policy to leave it up to individual divers to determine which wrecks should be looted and which should be protected. We all agree that some wrecks are truly historic and should be protected and/or held in public trust. The State's blanket assertion that it owns all the wrecks may not be the original intent of the ASA and may not be legally defensible in many cases, but I personally think it's better than nothing in terms of public historic preservation policy.