Magnet fishing explained

Magnet fishing, also called magnetic fishing, is searching in outdoor waters for ferromagnetic objects available to pull with a strong neodymium magnet.[1] Recovered items may be dangerous, such as firearms, ammunition, and bombs.

Practitioners

In English, people who practice magnet fishing may be called magnetfishers or magneteers.

It is thought magnet fishing was initially started by boaters using magnets to recover fallen keys from the water.[2]

Objects recovered

Magnet fishing can recover metal debris such as discarded bicycles, guns,[3] safes,[4] bombs,[5] grenades,[6] coins and car tire rims from bodies of water, but many who engage in the hobby are hoping to find rare and valuable items as well.[7] [8]

Tools

Magnet fishing is typically done with gloves, a strong neodymium magnet secured to a durable rope between 50and(-), and sometimes a grappling hook as a supplement to the magnet.

Potential harms

Some magnet fishers have retrieved dangerous objects, including loaded guns, unexploded ordnance,[9] [10] [11] and sharp pieces of metal.

Neodymium magnets are powerful and can interfere with pacemakers, posing a health risk; they can also damage other electronic devices. Fingers can get crushed between the magnet and a piece of metal, potentially causing serious bodily harm.[12] Tetanus can also be a risk for those without an up-to-date tetanus vaccine.

Magnet fishing and the law

Depending on the jurisdiction, anything of value may belong to the local government, not the finder.

Belgium

Amateur magnet-fishers in Belgium helped the police by recovering new evidence, specifically firearms and ammunition, related to the crimes of the Brabant killers.[13]

In general, police urge those who find weapons or similar items to contact them.[14]

France

The rules of magnet fishing are the same as those governing the detection of buried objects:

“No one may use equipment capable of detecting metallic objects for the purpose of searching for monuments and objects likely to be of interest to prehistory, history, art or archaeology without first obtaining an administrative authorisation issued in accordance with the applicant’s qualifications and the nature and manner of the search”.[15]

Germany

In Hamburg, magnet fishing without a permit is punishable by fine.[16] [17] In Berlin, magnet fishing is governed under the same rules as metal detecting, which requires a permit. Permits are not granted to hobbyists, as the context of any find is lost when untrained personnel disturb a site.[18] Like all major cities in Germany that experienced fighting and strategic bombing during World War II, unexploded ordnance poses a serious risk.[18]

England and Wales

Magnet fishing is subject to local regulations concerning outdoor waters. The Canal & River Trust, which owns most of the canals in England and Wales, has bylaws prohibiting people from removing material from the canal and rivers it owns, so fishers may be subject to a £25 fine[19] for magnet-fishing or removing any material from canal or inland navigation under the control of the Canal & River Trust in England or Wales, other than the Lee and Stort Navigation, Gloucester and Sharpness Canal, and River Severn Navigation.[20] The Trust "expressly prohibit[s]" the practice, although it refrains from legal action against first-time offenders.[2] In 2018, a child magnet-fished a sawn-off shotgun out of the Titford Canal in Oldbury, West Midlands.[21]

Poland

According to Polish penal code, magnet fishing without a valid government permit is a crime punishable by up to two years imprisonment.[22] [23] [24]

Scotland

Magnet fishing is allowed in Scotland. If planning to magnet fish in a scheduled area (including the Canal Network), then the fisher must first obtain a Scheduled Monument Consent from Historic Environment Scotland, and permission from Scottish Canals. An official group exists which gives its members permission to magnet fish in a stretch of the Union Canal in Edinburgh, with more locations planned in the future. Archaeological or historical finds must be reported to Treasure Trove Scotland. [25]

United States

In the US, there are no federal laws restricting metal fishing. Magnet fishing in state waters without a license is prohibited in South Carolina under the Underwater Antiquities Act.[26] In Indiana, magnet fishing is allowed on public waters on Department of Natural Resources properties by permit. The magnet must be able to be carried and retrieved by hand. [27]

Popularity

The hobby has been adopted by celebrities such as English rugby player James Haskell.[28]

Notes and References

  1. News: Vaissiere. Elia. Warda. Mathilde. 31 August 2019. Magnet fishing: The explosive hobby cleaning up French rivers. Yahoo! News. Agence France-Presse. https://web.archive.org/web/20200411142910/https://news.yahoo.com/magnet-fishing-explosive-hobby-cleaning-french-rivers-030336469.html . 11 April 2020. 2020-04-11 .
  2. News: Elliott . Coran . 18 August 2018 . Safety warning as rise in magnet fishing hobby sees anglers fish out guns and grenades in UK rivers . . live . subscription . 23 August 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180818164133/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/08/18/safety-warning-rise-magnet-fishing-hobby-sees-anglers-fish-guns/ . 18 August 2018. Alt URL
  3. News: Givens . La'Tasha . 4 September 2020 . Brothers' pandemic hobby leads to alarming find in Georgia river . . live . 10 December 2020 . https://archive.today/20201211012351/https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/guns-north-oconee-river-magnet-fishing/85-42ce2e44-9873-4924-8e60-0c8f883d4eac . 11 December 2020.
  4. News: 20 May 2020 . 6-Year-Old Boy Finds Stolen Safe At Bottom Of Lake, Solves 8-Year-Old Mystery . . live . 10 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200928195212/https://detroit.cbslocal.com/2020/05/20/6-year-old-boy-finds-stolen-safe-bottom-lake-solves-8-year-old-mystery/ . 28 September 2020.
  5. News: Sellew . Lauren . 17 November 2020 . Police: Men fishing find pipe bomb on Oregon Road in Meriden . . 10 December 2020.
  6. News: Forrest . Adam . 22 December 2020 . Man pulls 19 hand grenades out of river while magnet fishing . . live . 23 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201222162106/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/birmingham-river-grenades-found-bomb-disposal-b1777636.html . 22 December 2020.
  7. News: Taschler . Joe . 26 June 2019 . Magnet fishing is a slimy new hobby where people pull guns, bikes and weird stuff out of Milwaukee-area rivers, lakes and lagoons . . live . 10 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200809182703/https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2019/06/26/magnet-fishing-can-often-slimy-hunt-hidden-treasure/1386557001/ . 9 August 2020.
  8. News: Kousouris . Abby . 19 November 2020 . New 'magnet fishing' hobby cleaning up junk and uncovering hidden treasures . . live . 10 December 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201121135518/https://www.wvlt.tv/2020/11/20/new-magnet-fishing-hobby-cleaning-up-junk-and-uncovering-hidden-treasures/ . 21 November 2020.
  9. News: Abel. David. 20 September 2020. Casting about for a new pastime during the pandemic? With magnet fishing, 'it's all about the find'. The Boston Globe. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20201104133818/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/09/20/metro/casting-about-new-pastime-during-pandemic-with-magnetic-fishing-its-all-about-find/. 4 November 2020.
  10. News: 1 September 2020. Person 'magnet fishing' in Beaver Dam recovers grenade that was potentially 'live'. live. 10 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200903174448/https://www.fox6now.com/news/person-magnet-fishing-in-beaver-dam-recovers-grenade-that-was-potentially-live. 3 September 2020.
  11. News: 24 January 2020. 'God wasn't watching over him': Boy finds live grenade while magnetic fishing. WITI. live. 10 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200810110833/https://www.fox6now.com/news/god-was-watching-over-him-boy-finds-live-grenade-while-magnetic-fishing. 10 August 2020.
  12. News: Aubertin. Violet. 26 November 2020. Magnet Fishing answers the question, 'What's down there?' (25 photos). SooToday.com. Village Media. live. 10 December 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201126171207/https://www.sootoday.com/bold/magnet-fishing-answers-the-question-whats-down-there-25-photos-2904948. 26 November 2020.
  13. News: . 26 October 2017 . 'Magneetvissers' bezorgen dozen met munitie en wapens aan speurders Bende van Nijvel . nl . De Standaard . Nieuwsblad.be . Raad voor de journalistiek . Antwerp, Belgium . 27 October 2017.
  14. News: Chen . Dalson . 10 March 2020 . 'Magnet fishing' hobbyist finds firearm in water at Reaume Park in east Windsor . . live . 11 April 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200411142913/https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/magnet-fishing-hobbyist-finds-firearm-in-water-at-reaume-park/ . 11 April 2020.
  15. Web site: WebStrategy . 2018-02-15 . PÊCHE À L'AIMANT : LANCEZ-VOUS ! . 2023-12-17 . ilovedetection . fr-FR.
  16. News: 23 May 2019 . Behörde warnt eindringlich vor Magnetangeln . de . Authority warns urgently against magnetic fishing . Peiner Allgemeine Zeitung . Madsack GmbH & Co. . . Hamburg . 29 July 2019.
  17. Web site: 5 December 1995 . Umweltgebührenordnung (UmwGebO) Vom 5. Dezember 1995 . Environmental fee schedule (UmwGebO) From December 5, 1995 . 29 July 2019 . Landesrecht online . de . Hamburg.
  18. Web site: Informationen zum Umgang mit Metallsonden und Magnetfischen in Berlin . Landesdenkmalamt Berlin . . 18 June 2024 . de . Information Regarding the Use of Metal Detectors and Magnet Fishing in Berlin .
  19. News: 2019-09-13. The hidden dangers of magnet fishing. en-GB. BBC News. 2020-10-18.
  20. Web site: 24 February 1965. General Canal Bye-laws. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20200920100457/http://www.britishwaterways.co.uk/media/documents/foi/legal/BW_General_Canal_Bye-laws.pdf. 20 September 2020. 21 August 2018. British Waterways Board. 16. 41. No person unless authorised by the Board in that behalf or otherwise legally entitled so to do shall: ... (d) Dredge or remove coal or other material from any canal..
  21. News: Family find sawn-off shotgun in canal. 28 August 2018. ITV News. https://web.archive.org/web/20180829072055/https://www.itv.com/news/central/2018-08-28/family-find-sawn-off-shotgun-in-canal-oldbury-titford-canal-tipton/. 29 August 2018. live.
  22. News: Przeszukiwał rzekę magnesem neodymowym. Znalazł zardzewiałą broń. Grożą mu 2 lata więzienia.
  23. News: Krasnystaw: Przeszukiwał rzekę za pomocą magnesu, wyłowił broń.
  24. News: Pewien obywatel przeszukiwał rzekę za pomocą magnesu, wyłowił broń i… w przypływie głupoty zadzwonił na policję.
  25. Web site: Magnet Fishing . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20220523203025/https://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/activities/magnet-fishing/ . 23 May 2022 . 18 May 2022 . Scottish Canals . Scotland.
  26. Hill . Katie . December 12, 2022 . As Magnet Fishing Booms, More Guns Are Being Pulled from America's Waters. Can Magnet Fishers Legally Keep Them? . Outdoor Life. February 8, 2023.
  27. News: Carroll . Joe . August 5, 2022 . New rules in effect for hunting and magnet fishing . . Fort Wayne, IN . February 8, 2023.
  28. News: 4 February 2018. Magnet fishing: England rugby star James Haskell's unusual hobby. 11 April 2020. BBC News. video.

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