Can Albania both protect and profit from the veritable treasure trove of shipwrecks, ancient and modern, which lie off its coast?  Along a 220 stretch of the Ionian coast, there are dozens of wrecks dating from the 6th century B.C. through World War II. The Albania National Coastline Agency thinks that there is the potential to make underwater archeology part of the tourism industry. The immediate concern, however, is whether they have the resources to chart and protect the largely undocumented wrecks before they are stripped by looters. Some looting has already begun. Amphorae from the wrecks are not infrequently seen decorating restaurants along the Albanian coastline.

Phys.org quotes agency head Auron Tare, who has been involved for the past 12 years with RPM Nautical Foundation‘s underwater research. “The idea of presenting the Albanian underwater heritage is a new idea for the country, because so far there is very little known about the rich history of the Albanian coastline, and in particular the shipwrecks.  I believe the time has come now that we should present to the world the wealth of this heritage that we have in our waters.”

Once more isolated than even North Korea, Albania has gradually opened up to international tourism and shrugged off its former image as a hermit state that briefly turned into lawless bandit territory in the late 1990s. But coastal land development has been burgeoning in an often anarchic fashion, and there are fears the more accessible wrecks could be plundered unless adequate protections are put into place.

Thanks to David Rye for contributing to this post.