Question on hunting waters near Treasure Coast

cathexis

Jr. Member
Sep 9, 2016
69
61
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Greeting All,

I am trying to find out what are the exact geographical limits for the Treasure Coast "no water detecting" laws ?

The bottom line is I want to know how close can I get and still get in the water and what are the best access points
for the same? I have the DVD "Metal Detecting Florida Beaches" & it's very good but doesn't answer these questions
precisely. My goal is surf/shallow water hunting but regardless of how rough waters may be my goal here is the technical
closest legal access, preferably on both ends.

TIA,

Andrew
 

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,489
54,972
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting

Jolly Mon

Hero Member
Sep 3, 2012
868
631
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
The numbers Treasure Hunter provided are old, but still valid...however, they are salvage leases coordinates only... exploration leases are not shown...and you cannot detect in the water in an exploration lease area, either.

This question has been asked a bazillion times and the simple answer is that the entire near shore area of east coast of Florida from the Treasure Coast to the FKNMS is under some sort of lease. As a practical matter you can probably get away with shallow water detecting (with a few exceptions), anywhere south of Jupiter...until you get to the Keys...and then the laws get curiouser and curiouser ... because the Feds say it IS legal to water detect...but the State of Florida maintains that it is not...

The ONLY way to make sure of the extent of the active lease areas in Florida is to contact the State. Unless something new has happened, the State does not maintain a list of active lease areas on the web.
 

Treasure_Hunter

Administrator
Staff member
Jul 27, 2006
48,489
54,972
Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab_Equinox_ 800 Minelab_CTX-3030 Minelab_Excal_1000 Minelab_Sovereign_GT Minelab_Safari Minelab_ETrac Whites_Beach_Hunter_ID Fisher_1235_X
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Safest bet is stay out of water from few miles north of Sebastian Inlet south to Ft Pierce as almost all is under treasure leases.

You can hunt from mean low tide line to toe of dues along Treasure Coast and not get in trouble.




_________________________Tapatalk Signature_________________________

DT2016
 

Jolly Mon

Hero Member
Sep 3, 2012
868
631
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I forgot to mention that the official position of the Florida Department of State is that it is illegal to metal detect below the mean high tide line ANYWHERE in the state of Florida sans an exploration or salvage lease. I posted the relevant document from the Florida Department of State some time ago...I am sure you can find it if you search.

I say these things not to deter you, but merely to make you aware of the absurdity of the actual legal realities in the state. Basically, if you are not operating under the auspices of a lease, the State can bust you for metal detecting or dragging a mag if they catch you and so please.
 

PhipsFolly

Hero Member
Sep 30, 2005
633
602
Treasure Coast, Florida
Detector(s) used
Minelab Sovereign Elite & Sovereign XS, Minelab Equinox 800 and Aquapulse AQ1B
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Basics of the law state that you cannot disturb the bottom strata of any state bottomlands including any body of water belonging to the State of Florida (i.e. Rivers, lakes, streams, natural springs, and yes the ocean) unless you have a lease from the state to do so... Wreck site or not... So you can metal detect outside leased areas BUT you cannot disturb the bottom at all so what's the point of detecting... And it is a third degree felony to remove any objects that are fifty years or older from said state bottomlands... Still want to metal detect in the water? [emoji15][emoji31]
 

seekerGH

Hero Member
Jan 25, 2016
887
570
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Still want to metal detect in the water?

Still want to detect in Florida? I think the State flag about sums it up!

255px-Flag_of_Florida.svg.png
 

Last edited:

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Top