Here is what I found on Floridas Isolated Finds Law. It does not say anything about the beach or ocean. I did however find this statement-- "analysis of the IFP database examined Isolated Finds reports from May 1996 ... Artifacts have been reported from 27 rivers/creeks, 3 lakes, one beach, and one sinkhole."
Isolated Finds:The Isolated Finds Program (IFP) allowed divers to legally collect artifacts (e.g., arrowheads, pottery sherds) from some Florida rivers by reporting information on their finds to the Division of Historical Resources.
§ 267.115(9), Florida Statutes states that "the division may implement a program to administer finds of isolated historic artifacts from state-owned river bottoms whereby the division may transfer ownership of such artifacts to the finder in exchange for information about the artifacts and the circumstances and location of their discovery."
Artifacts were not to be collected from known archaeological sites or from rivers within managed areas like parks, preserves and forests.
The IFP began in 1996 as a cooperative effort between the Division and river divers who were concerned that their long standing hobby was jeopardized by increased criminal penalties for removing artifacts from State of Florida owned lands.
The Division attempted to inform river divers about the IFP with flyers, public presentations, meetings with river divers, and a web page.
In November 2003 the Florida Historical Commission recommended that the Division discontinue the IFP and explore alternative programs. This decision was based on low participation and problems with enforcement of the IFP.
The Division held public meetings in April and June 2004 to receive input on the IFP and possible alternative programs. Letters requesting input were sent to IFP participants, avocational and professional archaeological societies, American Indian tribes, land managing and law enforcement agencies.
The Historical Commission discussed this issue and received public comment at its meetings in Delray Beach (May 15, 2004) and Tallahassee (November 15, 2004 and April 7, 2005).
The Division's review of the IFP was presented to the Historical Commission in May 2005. The Commission unanimously recommended that the Division discontinue the IFP without a replacement program.
The Division accepted the recommendation of the Historical Commission and notified IFP participants and other interested parties that the IFP was discontinued as of June 1, 2005. Participants were encouraged to continue their interests in Florida archaeology by working with scholars and archaeological societies.
Between June 1996 and June 2005 the Division received 1,115 IFP reports from 150 individuals. Seven individuals submitted 54 % of the IFP reports received.
10,720 artifacts were collected under the IFP program from 51 rivers and lakes. In two cases divers reported locating significant sites and donated their finds to the Division; in all other cases the artifacts were kept by the finders.
Geographic analysis indicates that 10 % of the IFP reports represent artifacts removed from known archaeological sites.
In the absence of the IFP removal of artifacts from river bottoms and other sovereign submerged lands is a first degree misdemeanor under § 267.13(1)(a), Florida Statutes. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
![:-\](https://www.treasurenet.com/smilies/undecided.gif "Undecided :-\")
Now I know why detectorists work early morning or night.
I for one would never report what I find to any government agency. One would think that reporting a significant find of archeological importance would be a good thing but....usually the government agency you report it to notes that the find was by an amateur and that damage to the site was done by the same amateur. With every reporting we make to a government agency we give the government bureaucrats more ammunition to pass laws to make our hobby illegal. Our government is not there to help us, it is there to protect us from everything and sooner or later we won't be able to do anything in this country. Years ago I lived in Charleston, S.C. (1980's) and I dove on the Charleston river with friends to search for ancient shark teeth buried in the river bottom. Looking back on it I wonder why I did it because it sure as heck wasn't fun! Zero visibility and a 4 knot current dragging you down river while you are trying to get to the bottom and once on the bottom all you could do was stick your hands in the gooey mud up to your wrists and elbows and let the current pull you along like a big scoop. Every time we pulled up some kind of ancient shark tooth and those things are BIG. Well, to get to the point of all of this...we couldn't keep ANY of it because of S.C. law pertaining to ancient artifacts no matter where they were. We were going to keep what we found until we noticed we were being observed by some kind of law enforcement people in a boat. That is when we "discovered" the S.C. law pertaining to artifacts. We had to give everything to the archeologists and if they didn't want it we would get it back. Never got a thing back and nothing was ever heard from them. So, moral of the story is keep your mouth shut and enjoy what you find.
