Seafarer is not a "Treasure hunting company" and they go through great pains to distance themselves from that moniker. They bill themselves as " a company focused on archaeologically sensitive exploration, research and recovery of historic shipwrecks". Florida would deny permits to anyone who has pillaging treasure as its main interest. Perhaps that is the problem here. The applicant needs to support the mission of the State.
Major goals of Florida's historic preservation program are to identify, register, protect, and preserve significant historical resources which belong to the public. Divers are encouraged to participate in the identification, recording, and reporting of underwater sites in order to preserve them. However, disturbing or digging of publicly-owned sites is illegal unless permission is obtained in advance from the Division of Historical Resources. Intentional excavation of underwater sites without written authorization is considered a third-degree felony. Its best to record and report what you find, and seek help to proceed with further investigation.
Currently, permission to conduct excavations on publicly-owned sites can take the following forms:
Archaeological Research Permits may be granted by the State to survey and excavate in state waters by scientific and educational institutions such as museums, universities, and colleges. The permittee must have the necessary professional archaeological expertise to perform proper field research, analysis, interpretation, conservation, and reporting. All materials collected under a research permit remain public property to be administered by the State, but may be placed on loan for the purpose of further study, curation, or display.
Exploration and Recovery Permits may be granted by the Division of Historical Resources to individuals or companies for the survey and recovery of submerged cultural resources offshore in State waters. These are not leases of state lands, but permits to perform certain activities under the supervision of the State. After completion of an extensive survey, excavation may be permitted under archaeological guidelines and recovered artifacts must be recorded and conserved. At the conclusion of analysis and conservation treatment, a portion of these materials may be awarded to the permittee. The State retains the remainder of recovered materials for research collections and public display.
Any touts of this being a "Treasure Company" may be detrimental to obtaining permits IMO.
