Archaeologists on Quebec’s North Shore are teaming up with provincial police and federal authorities to fight the looting of its underwater heritage sites.

Local authorities are hoping the new Heritage Preservation Agreement will curb the amount of artifacts that are stolen by treasure-hunting divers from hundreds of shipwrecks and other historic sites at the bottom of the St. Lawrence River.

Project coordinator Francois Guindon said divers are frequently finding new wrecks and it’s vital that they be protected from the often reckless acts of looters.