Annual Report to BMAPA 2008-2009

Wessex Archaeology

Protocol

for reporting finds of archaeological interest

Annual Report to BMAPA 2008-2009

Prepared by

November 2009

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Annual Report to BMAPA 2008-2009

Project Background

Every licence area is intensively studiedprior to the granting of a licence to dredgein order to protect our submerged heritage.Despite this, it was recognised that artefactsare still likely to be present in dredgedloads. In August 2005 Wessex Archaeology(WA) drafted the Protocol, on behalf of English Heritage (EH) and the British MarineAggregate Producers Association (BMAPA),to protect these finds and the sites of archaeological importance that they maysignify. The Protocol provides a 'safety net'and is an efficient and effective mitigationoption to preserve our heritage.BMAPA member companies have voluntarilycommitted to implement the Protocol acrossall existing operations, encompassingwharves, vessels and production licenceareas. Under the Protocol, finds recognisedwithin dredged loads are reported to a SiteChampion and then to a designatedNominated Contact who reports them to thecurator. To expedite this process a ProtocolImplementation Service run by WA was set upand WA is alerted to each new find throughthe dedicated reporting website of theProtocol Implementation Service. Munitionsand suspected munitions are first made safefollowing the Guidance Note 'Dealing withmunitions in marine aggregates' (June 2006)and aircraft remains are considered inaccordance with an annex to the Protocolpublished in February 2008 (both areavailable online or from WA).WA is currently conducting some aspectsof EH's role through the ProtocolImplementation Service, although onlywhere a find is deemed to be non-contentious and is unlikely to result inthe creation of an exclusion zone. Findsthat require a higher level of curatorialinvolvement are referred to EH in the firstinstance. Details of all dredged finds arereported to EH, BMAPA, The Crown Estate(TCE); the National Monuments Record(NMR); the appropriate local Sites andMonuments Record (SMR); the HistoricEnvironment Record (HER) and the FindsLiaison Officer for the Portable AntiquitiesScheme (PAS). All finds are also publicisedon WA's website and the good work doneby BMAPA companies with regard to theProtocol is made accessible through variousdissemination programmes, conducted bothby WA and by other companies.The Implementation Service has nowcompleted its fourth year of operation and itis the year October 2008 to September 2009which is the subject of this annual report.

British Marine Aggregate Producers AssociationandEnglish Heritage

ProtocolforReporting finds of archaeological interest

Annual Report to BMAPA 2008-2009November 2009prepared byWessex Archaeology