WESTERN SHORE - The world's longest-running treasure hunt is at a standstill.

 In April of 2006 a group from Michigan bought a portion of Oak Island, forming a partnership with long-time treasure hunter and property-owner Dan Blankenship.

 Since that time, the partnership has been trying to secure a treasure trove licence to work on the island.

 "I don't know what the holdup is," Mr. Blankenship said. "I even spoke with Premier Rodney MacDonald about this just prior to the election [in June, 2009]. He said he would look into it. Of course, then the NDP won the election."

 Mr. Blankenship said he has been in brief contact with the NDP government and has been made aware his conversation with the former premier had been passed along.

 Although there is currently no exploration on the island, that's not to say no work has been done since the Michigan group bought in.

 Around the time the new investors bought into the island, Mr. Blankenship applied for and received a continuation treasure trove licence from the province.

 That licence allowed him to take over the licence he held with former partner, David Tobias.

 It expired on July 2, 2008.

 "As a business, we spend a lot of money in exploration," Mr. Blankenship said. "We put money into the provincial economy. I don't know why this has taken so long."

 David Salter, a communications advisor with the Department of Natural Resources, confirmed Oak Island Tours Ltd. has made an application for a successor licence to their Treasure Trove Licence T-159.

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 However, he said the registry cannot comment on the status of the application other than to say that it is presently under consideration.

 He added the current practice is to issue licences for two years.

 Once an application is submitted, Mr. Salter said it is forwarded to the minister of Natural Resources for consideration of the executive council.

 If accepted, a treasure trove licence is prepared for issuance by the minister.

 Mr. Salter also pointed out that if material (precious stones or metals in a state other than their natural state or any treasure or treasure trove) is recovered, a royalty is to be paid.

 Generally, a 10 per cent royalty is paid in-kind, and may involve negotiations between the licencee, the curator of collections for the Nova Scotia Museum and the Department of Natural Resources.

 Mr. Blankenship began his hunt for the Oak Island treasure in 1965. In the past four decades he has found artifacts and groundwork he believes are key to unlocking the island's secrets.

posted on 12/15/09