anta , ▁or ▁vice ▁flags hip ▁of ▁the ▁fleet ▁and ▁carried ▁the ▁Judge ▁Adv oc ate ▁General , ▁Martin ▁de ▁Ar anda , ▁responsible ▁for ▁the ▁discipline ▁of ▁the ▁arm ada . ▁ ▁Disc overy ▁ ▁After ▁extensive ▁document ary ▁research ▁of ▁over ▁three ▁years , ▁an ▁English ▁salv age ▁team , ▁the ▁Stre ed agh ▁Str and ▁Arm ada ▁Group , ▁identified ▁the ▁w reck site ▁on ▁ 6 ▁May ▁ 1 9 8 5 . ▁Sub sequently , ▁a ▁court ▁battle ▁was ▁fought ▁over ▁salv age ▁rights . ▁The ▁w re cks ▁are ▁protected ▁under ▁the ▁National ▁Mon uments ▁( Am end ment ) ▁Act s ▁ 1 9 8 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁which ▁prevents ▁any ▁div ing ▁on ▁the ▁w re cks ▁except ▁under ▁lic ence ▁from ▁the ▁Irish ▁government . ▁ ▁Background ▁ ▁The ▁three ▁ships ▁had ▁set ▁sail ▁in ▁the ▁Lev ant ▁squad ron ▁with ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁Arm ada ▁from ▁Lis bon ▁on ▁ 2 9 ▁May ▁ 1 5 8 8 . ▁The ▁L avia ▁( home port ▁Ven ice ) ▁had ▁been ▁requ is ition ed ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁February ▁that ▁year ▁at ▁Lis bon . ▁The ▁Jul iana ▁( home ▁port ▁Barcelona ) ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁December ▁ 1 5 8 6 ▁in ▁Sic ily , ▁and ▁the ▁Santa ▁Maria ▁de ▁V ison ▁( home ▁port ▁R ag usa / D ub rov nik ) ▁on ▁ 6 ▁May ▁ 1 5 8 7 ▁at ▁Nap les