Mariners and divers can now pick up a free map showing the location of Bermuda's main shipwrecks and snorkelling sites.

The map follows extensive work by dive operators, individuals and volunteers to produce coordinates for the wrecks.

The Department of Conservation, working with the Bermuda Zoological Society, has produced 15,000 copies of the map, which are available for free in dive shops, sports shops and other outlets.

It follows an eight-year project from the Bermuda Aquarium Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) to chart the wrecks and establish safe moorings to ensure boats don't anchor on the wrecks or reefs.

The locations were finally completed last year, and this year volunteers finished establishing floating buoys for boats to moor on.

This ensures boat owners don't damage the reef or wrecks by dropping anchor on top of them.

The map lists 29 wrecks which are protected from fishing, and gives their locations and depths, and a further 13 excellent dive and snorkelling sites.

BAMZ volunteer Ian Murdoch, who has worked on the project for around eight years said: "The purpose of the map is to get the locations to the general public to tie up and dive or snorkel.

"It is also to help the main dive operators run their businesses and to have environmentally safe moorings. We want people to see our beautiful reefs and enjoy the fish."

The map is not a comprehensive list of wrecks and there is no consensus on how many are scattered around the Island's reefs.

A figure of 300 wrecks has been mentioned but it is not known if this is supposed to be every wreck notified to the Receiver of Wreck over the years.

Many of these sites have been so battered over the years that there is nothing left to see.

The location of the Sea Venture, whose sinking led to the founding of Bermuda in 1609, is kept secret.

In any case, there is nothing to see on the site off St. George's because it is submerged in sand and silt.