No. Magnet fishing in Switzerland is prohibited under the Federal Act on the Protection of Cultural Property (CGP) and cantonal heritage laws, as it risks disturbing archaeological sites without permits. The Swiss Confederation’s 2026 Cultural Property Protection Ordinance explicitly classifies unauthorized metal detecting as a violation, with fines up to CHF 100,000.
Key Regulations for Magnet Fishing in Switzerland
- Cultural Heritage Protection: Under Art. 22 CPG, any activity that may uncover or damage archaeological artifacts requires a cantonal permit (e.g., Service archéologique du canton de Vaud). Unauthorized retrieval of historical objects is punishable under Art. 24 CPG.
- Water Protection Laws: The Federal Water Protection Act (GSchG) and cantonal regulations (e.g., Zürich’s Gewässerschutzverordnung) ban magnet fishing in rivers, lakes, and floodplains to prevent ecological disruption and sediment contamination.
- Private Property & Public Land: Detecting on private land without written consent violates Art. 641 of the Swiss Civil Code, while public land use requires municipal authorization under Art. 24 of the Federal Spatial Planning Act (RPG).
Local authorities like Canton Bern’s Archäologie und Denkmalpflege actively monitor waterways, and recent 2025 enforcement trends prioritize prosecutions for violations near protected zones. International artifacts (e.g., WWII ordnance) trigger additional Ordnance Disposal Unit (EOD) interventions under Art. 16 of the Federal Explosives Act.