In the spring of 2014 two new geophysical (seismic) surveys will be carried out at sea by the University of Ghent and Deltares. The first survey will take place from 22^nd to 25^th April on board the RV Belgica. During this survey different acoustic sources and receivers will be used to map the palaeo-landscape under the Thornton bank. The presence of old river valleys, which are now deeply buried under the sea bed, plays an important role.

A great new film made by the national UNESCO commission of The Netherlands increases awareness about underwater heritage.

This book contains the latest results of the archaeological studies carried out in the framework of the extension of the harbour of Rotterdam Maasvlakte 2. This Maasvlakte 2 contains numerous fossil traces from the past. From twenty meters below the water surface, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a hunting camp from the Mesolithic period. Tools, hunting gear and an overwhelming number of remnants of the menu that was customary in this area about 8000 years before our era.

In het voorjaar van 2013 spoelden op de kust van Happisburgh (East-Anglia, Verenigd Koninkrijk) lemige afzettingen bloot waarin allerlei merkwaardige indrukken bewaard waren gebleven. Onderzoek heeft uitgewezen dat het om voetafdrukken van mensen gaat die in dit gebied tussen grofweg 1 miljoen en 780.000 jaar geleden voorbij zijn gekomen. De resultaten van dit onderzoek zijn onlangs publiek gemaakt en tonen aan dat het om de oudste voetafdrukken van mensen gaat aangetroffen buiten Afrika.

On the 14^th and 15^th of January 2014 the University of Ghent conducted a seismic survey at sea, in very shallow water (<5m). This survey had 2 aims: (1) the mapping of an old tidal channel ("Yde") and remains of Roman and/or Medieval peat exploitation off the coast of Raversijde, and (2) to get a better picture of a buried 18^th century wreck (or remains of the wreck) right next to the new East pier of Oostende.

On November 22^nd 2013 the draft of the new law on the protection of underwater cultural heritage, an adapted and extended version of the so called “wreck law” from 2007, was approved by the federal government. This law will provide protection for all maritime and cultural heritage located in the Belgian part of the North Sea.

In September 2013, the European Marine Board established a workgroup concerned with underwater cultural heritage and palaeo-landscapes (WG SUBLAND). The aim of this workgroup is to develop a strategic policy document (so called ‘position paper’) including synthesis, research agenda and policy priorities with regard to research in Europe on underwater heritage and buried palaeo-landscapes. This position paper will be published in the fall of 2014.

In the framework of the SeArch project, a protocol is being prepared for the aggregate industry concerning the reporting of archaeological findings at sea. To determine the probability and possibility of coming across findings on wharfs where dredged granules are handled, two archaeology students from the University of Ghent (Lien Van der Dooren en Toon De Herdt) inspected the wharfs on Ostend and Zeebrugge during one week.

To explore the probability and possibility of coming across archaeological findings while using different fishing techniques (bottom trawling, otter trawling,…), on 17^th September 2013 we accompanied ILVO (Institute for Agriculture and Fisheries Research) on board the new Flemish research vessel Simon Stevin. That day a beam trawl with a fine mesh fishing net was used to fish. In total, the net was towed six times along the sea floor.