Pirates treasures

[DiveSanta]

if you are in an expedition in the Caribbean. if you come across some old Spanish galleons, and buccaneer ships. Do you have to reported to the government? does anyone know if there is a reward, or can we keep the booty???

since last year's hurricane in Costa Maya Mexico, it affected Chinchorro banks horribly, that place is known for the pirate ships which are sunk there, and for some of the Spanish galleons which are still there. We have metal detector's but I am not aware of the rules of discovery? does anyone??
thanks for your help in advance...

[Mako]

Each country has different rules. as far I know in the USA the one who finds a treasure underwater can keep it (make sure before you collect anything) and in some other countries like Greece you will go for quite a long time to jail for the same thing. This I am sure I heard about a PADI Course director who landed in jail over there.
But as a diver are you really interested in bringing it out of the water?

[DiveSanta]

As a diver, if i found it and i didnt bring it out, some one else will do, so yes i will bring it out.

[Sam2000]

Some basics:

A state's Territorial Sea extends up to 12 nautical miles (22 km) from its baseline. If this would overlap with another state's territorial sea, the border is taken as the median point between the states' baselines, unless the states in question agree otherwise. A state can also choose to claim a smaller territorial sea.

State in this instance also refers to country. Mexico is a party to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and thus claims 12NM off it's shoreline. This is sovereign territory of the country of Mexico. They own anything found in it.

Then there's the Contiguous Zone:

The contiguous zone is a band of water extending from the outer edge of the territorial sea to up to 24 nautical miles (44 km) from the baseline, within which a state can exert limited control for the purpose of preventing or punishing "infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea".

Chinchorro Banks is 19NM from Mahuhaul so likely falls within this range. Unless there's a closer point of Mexican land within 12NM in which case it's Mexican sovereign territory.

But this last zone likely limits your options:

An exclusive Economic Zone extends for 200 nautical miles (370 km) beyond the baselines of the territorial sea, thus it includes the territorial sea and its contiguous zone.[3] A coastal nation has control of all economic resources within its exclusive economic zone, including fishing, mining, oil exploration, and any pollution of those resources.

If you found anything, the govt. of Mexico might categorize it as an "economic resource" But I'm no expert. If you do find anything, I would consult with a maritime lawyer in the country whose waters it was found - as I'm sure that there's a whole lot of other rules regarding shipwrecks, declarations of loss, salvage right and rights of ownership that I'm totally oblivious to.

[DiveDevil1966]

I think it is very short minded to state "IF I DON'T TAKE IT OUT, THEN SOMEBODY ELSE WILL, THAT'S THE REASON I DO IT". In many parts of the world it is highly illegal to take anything out of the sea, hwoever not all abide to this rules. If we have this attidude we will have nothing to look at in a short time, just for the selfishness of some divers.

[DiveSanta]

I agree with you DiveDevil, I was specifically speaking for the UW treasures, not everything, i don't think that when u will find some golden coins UW you will leave it that other divers find something to look while diving
As the default behaver, any diver will take the coins, thats not selfishness.

[DiveDevil1966]

I know what you are saying. The problem is, where do we stop. If you find gold coins, depending in which country or area you are in, they do not belong to you. But I do agree that probably the majority of divers would keep them. But there is other stuff which is taken out such as bits and pieces of wrecks, and many of those are actually either war graves or wrecks from accidents where people have died. There is also many valuable things such as marine life which is valuable for some people, such as shells and more. So where do we stop and what shall we call treasure??
In the country I am in there is huge amounts of treasures left from the romans, including amphoras, coins and much more, and it is absolutely illegal to take anything out. Should you take somthing out you are under the obligation to surrender the treasure to the governement, which in return put them into museums. I know it is a difficult one and I do not pretend to have a solution to this problem, but I am sure you agree that many divers taking goods out of the water act on a very selfish motivation.

Dive Devil
Happy Diving

[Jack]

I agree with DiveDevil, as Treasure is not only specific to gold coins and such items, its all treasures down there, but as a diver i know its too difficult for the human to go through this situation of keeping the treasure or just deliver to the Gov. to put in museums, as for this issue discussion will never stop.

But yes its kinda of selfish motivation, this is what we all agree on and thats what i hope i will never had.....i mean the selfish motivation not the coins

Thanks DiveDevil for bringing the issue.