Salvage Rights

Any ship, flotsam, or debris found more than three miles (15,000 feet) from the shore is considered unowned and subject to salvage rights.

To claim salvage, a representative of the group claiming rights must be present with the items for 24 hours without anyone else laying claim of ownership. After 24 hours, the salvage claimant is now considered the owner.

When debris washes up on the shore anyone who finds the debris should, by law, report it to a local magistrate or lord. If it can be carried out of sight before anyone tells the authorities then…well, no one needs to know and the debris can be sold off by those who found it later.