Florida Underwater Hunting Question - Moving Sand?

[Southernmost]

Is it legal to move sand underwater in the Florida Keys? Say with a pump or some type of assembly.. I am simply an antique bottle hunter, that would like to use some type of pump assembly to move sand underwater to expose bottles. The area that I want to hunt is not a designated historical wreck site, but within a few hundred feet from an outer Island. It would also fall into the Florida Keys Marine Sanctuary, as all of the Keys surrounding waters are within the blanket of this sanctuary (up to a 3 miles off shore). I am fairly new to antique bottle hunting and would like to know where I stand with rules within the Keys surrounding waters. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

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[Tom_in_CA]

Well, I'm sure if you asked enough of the right people, you can always find someone to tell you that you can't so much as pick up a single seashell (lest you fall afoul of "collecting and harvesting" rules). But as you can deduce: No one *really* cares if you pick up a seashell. As for mechanical means (dredge, or pump, etc...), I suppose if you did it in front of a crowded beach, and stirred up sands enough to make a muddy/brown-water mess, in front of life-guard towers and swimmers, well, then go figure. Someone's gonna gripe.

I have no doubt that someone will come on and answer your question, by finding verbage that disallows it on some level or another (disturbing sandcrab clauses, or whatever). But as I say, so too will you find verbage that disallows you to even metal detect, pick up bottles ON TOP of the sand, and so forth. If you ask long enough and hard enough, you can always preclude yourself from even the most innocuous of sandboxes (and they'll find something that appears to say "no" in rules or laws, to back that up).

A buddy of mine who is a gold nugget guy, decided he'd try his dredge on the open beach, to see what would happen if he dredged for coins/rings, where a popular bathing pier had been in the 1800s to 1920s. That was right on the beach (but ... of course ... he chose an "off-time", not a busy-weekend). No one said anything to him. But as I say, he probably didn't ask enough people "can I?"

 

[KEYSHUNTER]

unless that island is 3 or more miles out i would be hand fanning there is no off time in the keys anymore , pm if you want the spots for bottles are mostly just what blew in during 1935 and after..onion bottles doubt it maybe rumrunners cache as for moving sand make sure you dont mess with the sea grass funny its the only natural grass in the keys..hh bridges are good but even with dive flag there is a good chance you will look like a manetees back side or chum for the bridge mesh bag...sorry if i seem negative