(a) Except as specified in paragraph (b) of this section, the following activities are prohibited and thus are unlawful for any person to conduct or to cause to be conducted:

1. (1) Moving, removing, recovering, altering, destroying, possessing or otherwise injuring, or attempting to move, remove, recover, alter, destroy, possess or otherwise injure a sanctuary resource.
2. (2) Possessing, selling, offering for sale, purchasing, importing, exporting, exchanging, delivering, carrying, transporting, or shipping by any means any sanctuary resource within or outside of the sanctuary.
3. (3) Grappling into or anchoring on shipwreck sites.
4. (4) Deploying a tethered underwater mobile system at shipwreck sites.
5. (5) Interfering with, obstructing, delaying or preventing an investigation, search, seizure or disposition of seized property in connection with enforcement of the Act or any regulation or any permit issued under the Act.

(b) The prohibitions in paragraphs (a)(1) through (5) of this section do not apply to any activity necessary to respond to an emergency threatening life, property, or the environment; or to activities necessary for valid law enforcement purposes.

Effective Date Note:At 89 FR 48291, June 6, 2024, in § 922.223, paragraph (a)(3) was stayed until July 21, 2026.