The Iona II was designated and declared a protected wreck in 1989 as it was considered an important part of the UK’s maritime history that was threatened by environmental and human activity. There is a designated area of 50m radius around the wreck within which certain activities are restricted including anchoring, diving, and salvaging.
Designated wrecks are managed by Historic England to ensure that they survive for as long as possible. One of the management tools that Historic England (HE) uses is the licensing process which balances diver access while minimising threats to the wreck’s longevity. All designated wrecks require divers to obtain a licence before they visit the wreck.
Benefits of the licence application process:
• HE monitors the number of divers visiting the wreck
• HE monitors the condition of the wreck via licensee reports
•Divers learn about the historic value of the wreck
•Divers are informed of appropriate activities for the site so that no inadvertent or purposeful destruction of the wreck takes place
•Divers can provide feedback on the condition of the wreck
For more information about Protected Wreck Licences please see Historic England's Protected Wreck Sites page.