One of Bermuda's top maritime archaelogists has called for the speeding up of legislation to protect the nation's underwater heritage.

Dr. Ed Harris, director of the Bermuda Maritime Museum, believes that a new law would enable the Island to look after and tap into a rich seam of shipwrecks in territorial waters -- and subsequently a tourism boom.

"Even in these troubled times for Bermuda's tourism we should be even more diligent about protecting what is unique in Bermuda's heritage, because there is no question this is what wealthy tourists wish to see. What other jurisdictions are now doing, we are now being left behind.'' Dr. Harris was speaking after an American salvage firm claimed they were being barred from obtaining a licence to exploit yet undiscovered wrecks of the Bermuda coast.

Golden Quest Ltd., of California, said they would fight the Government for the right to explore wrecks -- including an undiscovered 16th century Spanish galleon they claim to have located -- including taking them all the way to the Privy Council if they continue to be refused.

But Dr. Harris condemned the firm as nothing more than treasure hunters of Bermuda's national heritage.

"These artifacts should be examined by scientific methods and everything found from these sites should be kept for the country,'' he said. "We have been pressing for legislation for 20 years and there is some indication that this maybe forthcoming.

"I don't believe these treasure hunters should be allowed to have any part in detailing these sites because they don't record them properly,'' he said.

"And they need the financial return so the artifacts have to be sold.

"The best thing to do is leave them and protect them, and from time to time bring up a few things as we have the capacity to preserve them.'' Mr. Harris cited examples of other small countries that had allowed US companies in, only for them to destroy what is down there.

And he added that each time a licence has been granted, it has ended up in expensive litigation for the Government concerned, as the salvor has broken terms or conditions.

Golden Quest president Bill Warren also claimed that locals and tourists had been stealing from the site of the Spanish galleon and selling the proceeds on the black market.

"It is bad enough that we have taken extremely poor care of this culture by allowing local salvage operators divers to destroy the shipwrecks without scientific recording.

"It would be inconceivable that the Government would allow salvage companies to come to Bermuda and destroy anything else that is left,'' he said.

"These are not things to be mined or salvaged, this is heritage to be saved for the nation.'' Dr. Ed Harris