Legal Mechanisms for Protecting the Underwater Cultural Heritage in the Area: A Critical Look at the Role of International Seabed Authority

One of the issues addressed by the UNCLOS is the protection of the underwater cultural heritage in the Area. Article 149 not only has many shortcomings and ambiguities but also lacks any solution or framework for the implementation of the measures provided for therein. The "International Seabed Authority" has not been introduced as a competent organ for the implementation of these measures. The UNESCO's 2001 Convention provides two mechanisms for "Reporting and Notification" and "Protection" for ancient and historical objects and the Authority is merely informed and consulted without being able to exercise competence in this regard. Given this international organization's extensive powers to explore and extract resources of Area and close connection between "Activities in the Area" and archaeological activities, the question is what is the role of the Authority in protecting underwater cultural heritage in the Area? In this research, an attempt is made to answer this question with a descriptive-analytical approach and by examining and analyzing the measures and mechanisms prescribed in documents. The findings show that under the UNCLOS and the UNESCO's 2001 Convention, in the absence of effective role of Authority, the issue of protection of underwater cultural heritage has been left to the Flag-States. In contrast, the recent decisions of this organization indicate the practical necessity of having and exercising such powers by it.