Controversies
The act has come under fire due to its ambiguous wording. States make the claim that all shipwrecks that lay embedded in their waters are abandoned and under their jurisdiction. Some people claim that only the 10% most historic of all wrecks belong to states. The confusion has resulted in numerous court cases over ownership and salvage rights of the wreck. Salvers argue that the states need to prove to the public which wrecks are historic and are protected under the act, while the states claim that the salver needs to provide proof of ownership if they are to salvage any parts, sediment, artifacts, etc., of the wreck.
Read more about this topic: Abandoned Shipwrecks Act