West Coast Shipwrecks May Need Protection

The Marine Protected Area advisory committee, which covers the entire west coast, discussed protection of shipwrecks and submerged airplanes as part of the region's cultural heritage. The Coos Bay World featured a report, which says the coast of Washington, Oregon, and California is dotted with more than 10,000 shipwrecks, 286 of which are identified. The story says Washington State can designate wrecks as underwater parks, but none have been designated so far. California, the state with the most shipwrecks, offers the most protection for them. Oregon has no marine areas that focus on cultural resources.