Magnet fishing

Short description: Searching in outdoor waters for ferromagnetic objects

A bolt cutter collected through magnet fishing in the Scarpe at Lallaing, France A neodymium magnet used for magnet fishing

Magnet fishing, also called magnetic fishing, is searching in outdoor waters for ferromagnetic objects available to pull with a strong neodymium magnet.[1]

## Contents

* 1 Practitioners
* 2 Objects recovered
* 3 Tools
* 4 Potential harms
* 5 Magnet fishing and the law
* 5.1 Belgium
* 5.2 France
* 5.3 Germany
* 5.4 England and Wales
* 5.5 Poland
* 5.6 Scotland
* 5.7 United States
* 6 Popularity
* 7 See also
* 8 References
* 9 External links

## 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] Magnet fishing as a hobby began to take off in the early 2000s starting in Europe.[3]

## Objects recovered

Magnet fishing can recover metal debris such as discarded bicycles, guns,[4] safes,[5] bombs,[6] grenades,[7] coins, and car tire rims from bodies of water, but many who engage in the hobby hope to find rare and valuable items as well.[8][9]

## Tools

Typical magnet fishing equipment, including protective gloves, a bucket for storing catches, antibacterial hand gel, and a neodymium magnet attached to a rope.

Magnet fishing is typically done with gloves,[10] a strong neodymium magnet secured to a durable rope between 15 and 30 meters (50–100 ft), and sometimes a grappling hook as a supplement to the magnet.[11] For safety it is recommended to also use a pair of gloves to protect your hands from any sharp objects you may pull up with your magnet.[12]

## Potential harms

Some magnet fishers have retrieved dangerous objects, including loaded guns, unexploded ordnance,[13][14][6][15] and sharp pieces of metal.[10]

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.[11] Tetanus can also be a risk for those without an up-to-date tetanus vaccine.[8]

In general, police urge those who find weapons or similar items to contact them.[2][16]

## Magnet fishing and the law

Street sign pulled out of the Jizera in Svijany, Czech Republic, with the magnet used to retrieve it still attached to the signpost.

Depending on the jurisdiction, anything of value may belong to the local government, not the finder.[13]

### 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.[17]

### 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".[18]

### Germany

In Hamburg, magnet fishing without a permit is punishable by fine.[19][20] 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.[21] Like all major cities in Germany that experienced fighting and strategic bombing during World War II, unexploded ordnance poses a serious risk.[21]

### 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[22] 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.[23] 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.[24]

### Poland

According to Polish penal code, magnet fishing without a valid government permit is a crime punishable by up to two years imprisonment.[25][26][27]

### 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.[28]

### United States

In the US, no federal laws restrict metal fishing. Magnet fishing in state waters without a license is prohibited in South Carolina under the Underwater Antiquities Act.[29] 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.[30] Certain states have their own regulations pertaining to magnet fishing.[31]

## Popularity

The hobby has been adopted by celebrities such as English rugby player James Haskell.[10][2]

## See also

* Physics:Metal detector - Electronic instrument which detects the presence of metal nearby
* Chemistry:Scrap
* Engineering:Tosher

## References

1. ↑ Vaissiere, Elia; Warda, Mathilde (31 August 2019). "Magnet fishing: The explosive hobby cleaning up French rivers". Agence France-Presse. Yahoo! News. https://news.yahoo.com/magnet-fishing-explosive-hobby-cleaning-french-rivers-030336469.html.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Elliott, Coran (18 August 2018). "Safety warning as rise in magnet fishing hobby sees anglers fish out guns and grenades in UK rivers". The Daily Telegraph. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/08/18/safety-warning-rise-magnet-fishing-hobby-sees-anglers-fish-guns/.
3. ↑ "The History of Magnet Fishing: Discover the Origins and Evolution" (in en). 2024-08-21. https://www.magnetfishingisfun.com/blog/the-history-of-magnet-fishing-discover-the-origins-and-evolution.
4. ↑ Givens, La'Tasha (4 September 2020). "Brothers' pandemic hobby leads to alarming find in Georgia river". WXIA-TV. https://www.11alive.com/article/news/local/guns-north-oconee-river-magnet-fishing/85-42ce2e44-9873-4924-8e60-0c8f883d4eac.
5. ↑ "6-Year-Old Boy Finds Stolen Safe At Bottom Of Lake, Solves 8-Year-Old Mystery". WWJ-TV. 20 May 2020. https://detroit.cbslocal.com/2020/05/20/6-year-old-boy-finds-stolen-safe-bottom-lake-solves-8-year-old-mystery/.
6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Sellew, Lauren (17 November 2020). "Police: Men fishing find pipe bomb on Oregon Road in Meriden". Record-Journal. https://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/Meriden/Meriden-News/Police-Men-fishing-find-pipe-bomb-on-Oregon-Road-in-Meriden.html.
7. ↑ Forrest, Adam (22 December 2020). "Man pulls 19 hand grenades out of river while magnet fishing". The Independent. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/birmingham-river-grenades-found-bomb-disposal-b1777636.html.
8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 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". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/2019/06/26/magnet-fishing-can-often-slimy-hunt-hidden-treasure/1386557001/.
9. ↑ Kousouris, Abby (19 November 2020). "New 'magnet fishing' hobby cleaning up junk and uncovering hidden treasures". WVLT-TV. https://www.wvlt.tv/2020/11/20/new-magnet-fishing-hobby-cleaning-up-junk-and-uncovering-hidden-treasures/.
10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "Magnet fishing: England rugby star James Haskell's unusual hobby". BBC News. 4 February 2018. https://www.bbc.com/news/av/uk-england-42664116/magnet-fishing-england-rugby-star-james-haskell-s-unusual-hobby.
11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Aubertin, Violet (26 November 2020). "Magnet Fishing answers the question, 'What's down there?' (25 photos)". SooToday.com (Village Media). https://www.sootoday.com/bold/magnet-fishing-answers-the-question-whats-down-there-25-photos-2904948.
12. ↑ "Stay Safe While Magnet Fishing | Magnet Fishing Is Fun" (in en). 2023-12-08. https://www.magnetfishingisfun.com/blog/magnet-fishing-safety-tips-essential-rules-and-precautions.
13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 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. https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/09/20/metro/casting-about-new-pastime-during-pandemic-with-magnetic-fishing-its-all-about-find/.
14. ↑ "Person 'magnet fishing' in Beaver Dam recovers grenade that was potentially 'live'". 1 September 2020. https://www.fox6now.com/news/person-magnet-fishing-in-beaver-dam-recovers-grenade-that-was-potentially-live.
15. ↑ "'God wasn't watching over him': Boy finds live grenade while magnetic fishing". WITI. 24 January 2020. https://www.fox6now.com/news/god-wasnt-watching-over-him-boy-finds-live-grenade-while-magnetic-fishing.
16. ↑ Chen, Dalson (10 March 2020). "'Magnet fishing' hobbyist finds firearm in water at Reaume Park in east Windsor". Windsor Star. https://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/magnet-fishing-hobbyist-finds-firearm-in-water-at-reaume-park/.
17. ↑ "'Magneetvissers' bezorgen dozen met munitie en wapens aan speurders Bende van Nijvel" (in nl). De Standaard. Raad voor de journalistiek (Antwerp, Belgium: Nieuwsblad.be). 26 October 2017. https://www.standaard.be/cnt/dmf20171026_03154116.
18. ↑ WebStrategy (2018-02-15). "PÊCHE À L'AIMANT : LANCEZ-VOUS !" (in fr-FR). https://ilovedetection.com/peche-a-laimant-lancez-vous.
19. ↑ "Behörde warnt eindringlich vor Magnetangeln" (in de). Peiner Allgemeine Zeitung. RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (Hamburg: Madsack GmbH & Co.). 23 May 2019. https://www.paz-online.de/Nachrichten/Der-Norden/Hamburg-Behoerde-warnt-eindringlich-vor-Magnetangeln.
20. ↑ "Umweltgebührenordnung (UmwGebO) Vom 5. Dezember 1995" (in de). Hamburg. 5 December 1995. http://www.landesrecht-hamburg.de/jportal/portal/page/bshaprod.psml?showdoccase=1&st=null&doc.id=jlr-UmwGebOHAV30Anlage2&doc.part=X&doc.origin=bs.
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "Informationen zum Umgang mit Metallsonden und Magnetfischen in Berlin". Landesdenkmalamt Berlin. Senate of Berlin. https://www.berlin.de/landesdenkmalamt/_assets/pdf-und-zip/denkmalpflege/bodendenkmalpflege/metallsonden-und-magnetfischen.pdf.
22. ↑ "The hidden dangers of magnet fishing" (in en-GB). BBC News. 2019-09-13. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-47801408.
23. ↑ "General Canal Bye-laws". British Waterways Board. 24 February 1965. p. 16. http://www.britishwaterways.co.uk/media/documents/foi/legal/BW_General_Canal_Bye-laws.pdf#page=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."
24. ↑ "Family find sawn-off shotgun in canal". ITV News. 28 August 2018. https://www.itv.com/news/central/2018-08-28/family-find-sawn-off-shotgun-in-canal-oldbury-titford-canal-tipton/.
25. ↑ "Przeszukiwał rzekę magnesem neodymowym. Znalazł zardzewiałą broń. Grożą mu 2 lata więzienia". https://www.polsatnews.pl/wiadomosc/2018-06-18/przeszukiwal-rzeke-magnesem-neodymowym-znalazl-zardzewiala-bron-groza-mu-2-lat-wiezienia/.
26. ↑ "Krasnystaw: Przeszukiwał rzekę za pomocą magnesu, wyłowił broń". https://lubelska.policja.gov.pl/lub/aktualnosci/80796,Krasnystaw-Przeszukiwal-rzeke-za-pomoca-magnesu-wylowil-bron.html.
27. ↑ "Pewien obywatel przeszukiwał rzekę za pomocą magnesu, wyłowił broń i… w przypływie głupoty zadzwonił na policję". https://trybun.org.pl/2018/06/19/pewien-obywatel-przeszukiwal-rzeke-za-pomoca-magnesu-wylowil-bron-i-w-przyplywie-glupoty-zadzwonil-na-policje/.
28. ↑ "Magnet Fishing". Scotland. https://www.scottishcanals.co.uk/activities/magnet-fishing/.
29. ↑ 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. https://www.outdoorlife.com/conservation/magnet-fishing-keeping-guns/. Retrieved February 8, 2023.
30. ↑ Carroll, Joe (August 5, 2022). "New rules in effect for hunting and magnet fishing". Fort Wayne, IN: WANE-TV. https://www.wane.com/news/indiana/new-rules-in-effect-for-hunting-and-magnet-fishing/.
31. ↑ "Magnet Fishing Laws: A State-by-State Guide - Updated 2024" (in en). 2024-05-09. https://www.magnetfishingisfun.com/blog/magnet-fishing-laws-a-state-by-state-guide.

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