Raising Blackbeard's "Queen Anne's Revenge"

The management plan provides four options for the protection, preservation, and study of Queen Anne's Revenge.

Nonintervention - No further work would be conducted on the site; monitoring and protection would be minimal. No monetary costs will be incurred.

In Situ Preservation (burial)- This option consists of covering the exposed portions of the site to diminish deterioration and the likelihood of damage from storms and human interference. Occasional site monitoring would be needed. Initial costs are estimated at $100,000 per year, with the cost of annual monitoring and maintenance dependent on the condition of the site.

Maintenance and Exploration (limited recovery) - Principle activities would involve maintaining a surveillance system, actively monitoring the site, and mitigating threats to the site by stabilizing or recovering artifacts and archaeological information. Exploratory site testing may continue. The current annual funding level of $250,000 will sustain this option.

Excavation (large-scale recovery) - This option involves the recovery of all or a large portion of the site's cannons, anchors, hull structure, and associated materials and information. Costs for staff, equipment, a conservation laboratory, and exhibit hall is currently estimated at $6 million.

By selecting the Nonintervention option, a decline in the archaeological integrity of Queen Anne's Revenge will occur and could result in irretrievable damage to the site. In addition, there will be little public benefit, and the responsibility for research and recovery of artifacts, if it ever occurs, will be relegated to future generations. In Situ Preservation (burial) may provide some protection for exposed remains but is deemed a temporary measure. While preparing and covering the shipwreck involve predictable costs, monitoring the site and redeposition may end up being just as costly as recovery options. Delaying recovery may also escalate costs and diminish public interest.

The sooner sensitive materials on the site can be properly recorded and recovered using the highest scientific standards, the more likely it is that the maximum information will be available for study, interpretation, and display. Therefore, the Excavation (large-scale recovery) option is recommended. A substantial amount of funding will be required to fully excavate, conserve, and exhibit the shipwreck's remains, whether that is accomplished in a few years or decades. If these funds are not immediately available through government appropriations, it is recommended that the Maintenance and Exploration (limited recovery) option be implemented. This will obligate a small, full-time staff with supporting resources to monitor the condition of Queen Anne's Revenge, deal with emergency situations, and continue the laboratory treatment and analysis of recovered artifacts. As a consequence, public interest will remain high, which should generate public and private funding to support the future excavation of one of North Carolina's most remarkable cultural resources.