Underwater Historic Preservation Areas

Vermont law states that these dangerous operating practices are illegal.

Violating Underwater Historic Preservation Area Requirements is the failure to follow the requirements that govern operation in areas marked as “State of Vermont Underwater Historic Preserve.” Vessels may not operate in these areas. Additional requirements also apply in these areas.

• A vessel may secure to a yellow buoy only if diving at the preserve. These vessels must be 35 feet in length or less and display a diver-down flag. No more than one vessel may moor to a yellow buoy.
• When a vessel is secured to a yellow buoy, all other vessels must stay at least 200 feet from the buoy.
• A vessel may not anchor within 200 feet of a yellow buoy.

Yellow special-purpose buoys mark underwater historic preservation areas. They show where historic or archeological sites are located on the bottomlands of the waters of Vermont.