Metal Detecting Laws in Comoros

Finding an object does not establish a verified current right to keep it.

• The ministry-hosted Code civil (Civil Code), Article 716, allocates a qualifying chance-found treasure to the finder on the finder’s own land, or half to the finder and half to the landowner on another person’s land. Its definition requires a hidden or buried thing for which nobody can prove ownership and discovery by pure chance; intentional detector searches do not automatically qualify.
• Article 717 leaves sea-washed objects and unclaimed lost things to special laws. Article 2279 allows an owner to reclaim lost or stolen property within three years of loss or theft; that provision alone does not award every find to the finder after three years. The compilation is not a verified complete current code.
• The Banque Centrale des Comores (Central Bank of Comoros) museum dossier identifies Loi n°20-033/AU du 29 décembre 2020 portant protection du patrimoine national culturel et naturel en Union des Comores (National Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection Law). Its complete operative text, implementing measures and precise relationship to the older 1994 law were not obtained. The older Justice Ministry text is therefore historical context, not a verified current permit, ownership or reporting procedure.
• Scope: the Union of the Comoros national framework. These captures do not establish a complete set of current island, municipal or site rules, and no rule here is extended to Mayotte. Public ownership, visitor access and permission to search do not establish ownership of a find.

Current find-reporting recipients and deadlines remain unresolved.

• The older 1994 heritage law, Article 31, required the finder or owner to report chance discoveries potentially relevant to art, history or archaeology immediately to the local administration, which notified the culture minister. This is historical evidence only because the complete 2020 heritage law was not obtained. No current general police deadline for every ordinary lost object was verified.
• The Banque Centrale des Comores (Central Bank of Comoros) museum dossier identifies Loi n°20-033/AU du 29 décembre 2020 portant protection du patrimoine national culturel et naturel en Union des Comores (National Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection Law). Its complete operative text, implementing measures and precise relationship to the older 1994 law were not obtained. The older Justice Ministry text is therefore historical context, not a verified current permit, ownership or reporting procedure.
• The Civil Code’s lost-property and treasure provisions do not by themselves specify a complete reporting procedure. Reporting or handing over an object is distinct from acquiring title to it.

Parc National Mont Ntringui (Mont Ntringui National Park): permission for recreational detecting and target recovery could not be confirmed.

• Scope: Parc National Mont Ntringui (Mont Ntringui National Park), under its May 23, 2022 creation decree. Article 36 requires prior authorization from the Direction de l’Agence Parcs Nationaux des Comores (management of the Comoros National Parks Agency) for public or private works likely to change the state or appearance of the place and prohibits works likely to destroy the park’s ecological or landscape character. Any proposed target recovery covered by that works provision needs authorization. The provision does not expressly regulate detector sweeps or establish that an ordinary recreational recovery qualifies for authorization.
• Article 37 requires consistency with the park development program and conservation prescriptions. Work outside that program must fit the decree’s objectives and be based on an environmental impact study. Except in urbanized zones, eligible works are limited to scientific purposes, necessary visitor-management or park operations, renovation/modification/extension of existing buildings, improvement of existing paths, land restoration and erosion control, or maintenance and restoration of public works. This does not establish an available recreational detector permit. Ordinary hobby recovery is not among the listed work categories.
• Articles 4–5 prohibit all removal or extraction within internal reserves, subject to the stated conservator-authorized management, research, monitoring, training and environmental-education exceptions and park-program requirements. Ecotourism by village communities or with their agreement is separately subject to case-by-case agency approval. Articles 42–43 provide for agency-authorized research, monitoring, training and environmental education, with scientific advice where appropriate and compliance with the park development program; scientific observation, research and monitoring require a preliminary agreement with the research organization. These exceptions do not establish general recreational recovery permission.
• Article 31 separately prohibits harm to cultural or historical heritage and archaeological remains unless authorized by the park conservator. It does not itself establish an ordinary detecting authorization.
• Visitor access, entry fees and continuing community activities remain subject to park rules. Complete current zoning, management plans and later individual decisions were not obtained. Confirm both the location and activity with the agency before any recovery.
• The environmental framework was amended and supplemented by Loi n°24-018/AU du 25 décembre 2024, promulgated by Décret n°25-004/PR du 22 janvier 2025. Article 126 gives the administration and sector professionals two years from promulgation to comply; it is not a general suspension of all protection or a visitor exemption. Article 127 repeals contrary earlier provisions. Complete later implementing measures were not verified.
• The Banque Centrale des Comores (Central Bank of Comoros) museum dossier identifies Loi n°20-033/AU du 29 décembre 2020 portant protection du patrimoine national culturel et naturel en Union des Comores (National Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection Law). Its complete operative text, implementing measures and precise relationship to the older 1994 law were not obtained. The older Justice Ministry text is therefore historical context, not a verified current permit, ownership or reporting procedure.
• Scope: the Union of the Comoros national framework. These captures do not establish a complete set of current island, municipal or site rules, and no rule here is extended to Mayotte. Public ownership, visitor access and permission to search do not establish ownership of a find.

Parc National Mitsamiouli-Ndroude (Mitsamiouli-Ndroude National Park): permission for recreational detecting and target recovery could not be confirmed.

• Scope: Parc National Mitsamiouli-Ndroude (Mitsamiouli-Ndroude National Park), under its May 23, 2022 creation decree. Article 36 requires prior authorization from the Direction de l’Agence Parcs Nationaux des Comores (management of the Comoros National Parks Agency) for public or private works likely to change the state or appearance of the place and prohibits works likely to destroy the park’s ecological or landscape character. Any proposed target recovery covered by that works provision needs authorization. The provision does not expressly regulate detector sweeps or establish that an ordinary recreational recovery qualifies for authorization.
• Article 37 requires consistency with the park development program and conservation prescriptions. Work outside that program must fit the decree’s objectives and be based on an environmental impact study. Except in urbanized zones, eligible works are limited to scientific purposes, necessary visitor-management or park operations, renovation/modification/extension of existing buildings, improvement of existing paths, land restoration and erosion control, or maintenance and restoration of public works. This does not establish an available recreational detector permit. Ordinary hobby recovery is not among the listed work categories.
• Articles 4–5 prohibit all removal or extraction within internal reserves, subject to the stated conservator-authorized management, research, monitoring, training and environmental-education exceptions and park-program requirements. Ecotourism by village communities or with their agreement is separately subject to case-by-case agency approval. Articles 43–44 provide for agency-authorized research, monitoring, training and environmental education, with scientific advice where appropriate and compliance with the park development program; scientific observation, research and monitoring require a preliminary agreement with the research organization. These exceptions do not establish general recreational recovery permission.
• Article 31 separately prohibits harm to cultural or historical heritage and archaeological remains unless authorized by the park conservator. It does not itself establish an ordinary detecting authorization.
• Article 34 separately prohibits removing seashore materials within or around the park without park-management authorization and strictly prohibits removing living or dead coral. The later environmental law, Article 120, penalizes removal of seashore materials; the earlier park clause does not establish an exception to that later law.
• Visitor access, entry fees and continuing community activities remain subject to park rules. Complete current zoning, management plans and later individual decisions were not obtained. Confirm both the location and activity with the agency before any recovery.
• The environmental framework was amended and supplemented by Loi n°24-018/AU du 25 décembre 2024, promulgated by Décret n°25-004/PR du 22 janvier 2025. Article 126 gives the administration and sector professionals two years from promulgation to comply; it is not a general suspension of all protection or a visitor exemption. Article 127 repeals contrary earlier provisions. Complete later implementing measures were not verified.
• The Banque Centrale des Comores (Central Bank of Comoros) museum dossier identifies Loi n°20-033/AU du 29 décembre 2020 portant protection du patrimoine national culturel et naturel en Union des Comores (National Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection Law). Its complete operative text, implementing measures and precise relationship to the older 1994 law were not obtained. The older Justice Ministry text is therefore historical context, not a verified current permit, ownership or reporting procedure.
• Scope: the Union of the Comoros national framework. These captures do not establish a complete set of current island, municipal or site rules, and no rule here is extended to Mayotte. Public ownership, visitor access and permission to search do not establish ownership of a find.

Parc National Mont Ntringui (Mont Ntringui National Park): a recreational target-recovery authorization could not be confirmed.

• Scope: Parc National Mont Ntringui (Mont Ntringui National Park), under its May 23, 2022 creation decree. Article 36 requires prior authorization from the Direction de l’Agence Parcs Nationaux des Comores (management of the Comoros National Parks Agency) for public or private works likely to change the state or appearance of the place and prohibits works likely to destroy the park’s ecological or landscape character. Any proposed target recovery covered by that works provision needs authorization. The provision does not expressly regulate detector sweeps or establish that an ordinary recreational recovery qualifies for authorization.
• Article 37 requires consistency with the park development program and conservation prescriptions. Work outside that program must fit the decree’s objectives and be based on an environmental impact study. Except in urbanized zones, eligible works are limited to scientific purposes, necessary visitor-management or park operations, renovation/modification/extension of existing buildings, improvement of existing paths, land restoration and erosion control, or maintenance and restoration of public works. This does not establish an available recreational detector permit. Ordinary hobby recovery is not among the listed work categories.
• Articles 4–5 prohibit all removal or extraction within internal reserves, subject to the stated conservator-authorized management, research, monitoring, training and environmental-education exceptions and park-program requirements. Ecotourism by village communities or with their agreement is separately subject to case-by-case agency approval. Articles 42–43 provide for agency-authorized research, monitoring, training and environmental education, with scientific advice where appropriate and compliance with the park development program; scientific observation, research and monitoring require a preliminary agreement with the research organization. These exceptions do not establish general recreational recovery permission.
• Article 31 separately prohibits harm to cultural or historical heritage and archaeological remains unless authorized by the park conservator. It does not itself establish an ordinary detecting authorization.
• Visitor access, entry fees and continuing community activities remain subject to park rules. Complete current zoning, management plans and later individual decisions were not obtained. Confirm both the location and activity with the agency before any recovery.
• The environmental framework was amended and supplemented by Loi n°24-018/AU du 25 décembre 2024, promulgated by Décret n°25-004/PR du 22 janvier 2025. Article 126 gives the administration and sector professionals two years from promulgation to comply; it is not a general suspension of all protection or a visitor exemption. Article 127 repeals contrary earlier provisions. Complete later implementing measures were not verified.
• The Banque Centrale des Comores (Central Bank of Comoros) museum dossier identifies Loi n°20-033/AU du 29 décembre 2020 portant protection du patrimoine national culturel et naturel en Union des Comores (National Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection Law). Its complete operative text, implementing measures and precise relationship to the older 1994 law were not obtained. The older Justice Ministry text is therefore historical context, not a verified current permit, ownership or reporting procedure.
• Scope: the Union of the Comoros national framework. These captures do not establish a complete set of current island, municipal or site rules, and no rule here is extended to Mayotte. Public ownership, visitor access and permission to search do not establish ownership of a find.

Parc National Mitsamiouli-Ndroude (Mitsamiouli-Ndroude National Park): a recreational target-recovery authorization could not be confirmed.

• Scope: Parc National Mitsamiouli-Ndroude (Mitsamiouli-Ndroude National Park), under its May 23, 2022 creation decree. Article 36 requires prior authorization from the Direction de l’Agence Parcs Nationaux des Comores (management of the Comoros National Parks Agency) for public or private works likely to change the state or appearance of the place and prohibits works likely to destroy the park’s ecological or landscape character. Any proposed target recovery covered by that works provision needs authorization. The provision does not expressly regulate detector sweeps or establish that an ordinary recreational recovery qualifies for authorization.
• Article 37 requires consistency with the park development program and conservation prescriptions. Work outside that program must fit the decree’s objectives and be based on an environmental impact study. Except in urbanized zones, eligible works are limited to scientific purposes, necessary visitor-management or park operations, renovation/modification/extension of existing buildings, improvement of existing paths, land restoration and erosion control, or maintenance and restoration of public works. This does not establish an available recreational detector permit. Ordinary hobby recovery is not among the listed work categories.
• Articles 4–5 prohibit all removal or extraction within internal reserves, subject to the stated conservator-authorized management, research, monitoring, training and environmental-education exceptions and park-program requirements. Ecotourism by village communities or with their agreement is separately subject to case-by-case agency approval. Articles 43–44 provide for agency-authorized research, monitoring, training and environmental education, with scientific advice where appropriate and compliance with the park development program; scientific observation, research and monitoring require a preliminary agreement with the research organization. These exceptions do not establish general recreational recovery permission.
• Article 31 separately prohibits harm to cultural or historical heritage and archaeological remains unless authorized by the park conservator. It does not itself establish an ordinary detecting authorization.
• Article 34 separately prohibits removing seashore materials within or around the park without park-management authorization and strictly prohibits removing living or dead coral. The later environmental law, Article 120, penalizes removal of seashore materials; the earlier park clause does not establish an exception to that later law.
• Visitor access, entry fees and continuing community activities remain subject to park rules. Complete current zoning, management plans and later individual decisions were not obtained. Confirm both the location and activity with the agency before any recovery.
• The environmental framework was amended and supplemented by Loi n°24-018/AU du 25 décembre 2024, promulgated by Décret n°25-004/PR du 22 janvier 2025. Article 126 gives the administration and sector professionals two years from promulgation to comply; it is not a general suspension of all protection or a visitor exemption. Article 127 repeals contrary earlier provisions. Complete later implementing measures were not verified.
• The Banque Centrale des Comores (Central Bank of Comoros) museum dossier identifies Loi n°20-033/AU du 29 décembre 2020 portant protection du patrimoine national culturel et naturel en Union des Comores (National Cultural and Natural Heritage Protection Law). Its complete operative text, implementing measures and precise relationship to the older 1994 law were not obtained. The older Justice Ministry text is therefore historical context, not a verified current permit, ownership or reporting procedure.
• Scope: the Union of the Comoros national framework. These captures do not establish a complete set of current island, municipal or site rules, and no rule here is extended to Mayotte. Public ownership, visitor access and permission to search do not establish ownership of a find.