Beneath the surface of the oceans, seas, lakes and rivers of the world lies hidden priceless heritage, which tells us stories about people and their lives throughout the history of humankind. According to UNESCO, Underwater cultural heritage (UCH) is defined as all traces of human existence having a cultural, historical or archaeological character which have been partially or totally under water, periodically or continuously, for at least 100 years. This includes underwater sites, structures, buildings, artifacts, vessels, aircraft, or any part thereof, their cargo or other contents, human remains, and objects of prehistoric character together with their archaeological and natural context.

However, UCH is subject to many human threats, including looting, commercial exploitation, and coastal development, as well as natural threats such as pollution, and global warming resulting in changes in sea-level. 

Undoubtedly UCH, particularly shipwrecks, is a valuable resource for the diving industry. However, irresponsible diving activities  can have adverse impacts on such heritage. Hence, sustainable management of UCH is crucial, not only to preserve these finite cultural resources, but also to sustain its economic benefits. Therefore, CMAS developed and implemented its Scientific Diving programs in order to introduce the diving community to the exploration and preservation of UCH.