Saving the shipwrecks of Stellwagen Bank

Outside/In

Shipwrecks captivate our imagination, and are the subject of many books, academic papers, and movies—from the world-famous Titanic, to sunken World War II warships, to ancient fishing canoes. Some describe them as time capsules of our maritime history, waiting to be discovered and opened.

But there’s a group of people who are drawn to shipwrecks for very different reasons, and it sometimes leads to the demise of the wrecks themselves: fishermen.

In this episode, why archaeologists and fishermen have sometimes been at odds over shipwrecks, and the federal government program that’s bringing them together under one common cause.

Featuring Ben Roberts, Mike Bailey, Tom Hill, Calvin Meyers, and Ben Haskell.

Produced by Felix Poon. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.

 

SUPPORT

Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In. 

Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.

 

LINKS

Learn more about the many known shipwrecks of Stellwagen Bank, including the Portland, known as “New England’s Titanic.”

Check out some of the other research projects at Stellwagen Bank

 on topics as varied as whales, sand lances, and seabirds.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

More description

Shipwrecks captivate our imagination, and are the subject of many books, academic papers, and movies—from the world-famous Titanic, to sunken World War II warships, to ancient fishing canoes. Some describe them as time capsules of our maritime history, waiting to be discovered and opened.

But there’s a group of people who are drawn to shipwrecks for very different reasons, and it sometimes leads to the demise of the wrecks themselves: fishermen.

In this episode, why archaeologists and fishermen have sometimes been at odds over shipwrecks, and the federal government program that’s bringing them together under one common cause.

Featuring Ben Roberts, Mike Bailey, Tom Hill, Calvin Meyers, and Ben Haskell.

Produced by Felix Poon. For full credits and transcript, visit outsideinradio.org.

 

SUPPORT

Outside/In is made possible with listener support. Click here to become a sustaining member of Outside/In. 

Follow Outside/In on Instagram or join our private discussion group on Facebook.

 

LINKS

Learn more about the many known shipwrecks of Stellwagen Bank, including the Portland, known as “New England’s Titanic.”

Check out some of the other research projects at Stellwagen Bank

 on topics as varied as whales, sand lances, and seabirds.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2025-08-27 33 min
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