17Discovery of shipwrecks and relics to be notified

#### 17 Discovery of shipwrecks and relics to be notified (1) A person who finds, in a fixed position in Australian waters or waters above the continental shelf of Australia, the remains of a ship or of a part of a ship, or an article associated with a ship, shall, as soon as practicable, give to the Minister a notice setting out a description of the remains or of the article and a description of the place where the remains are, or the article is, situated, being a description of that place that is sufficient to enable the remains or article to be located. (2) It is a defence to a prosecution of a person for an offence against subsection (1) if the person proves, or proves that he or she had reasonable grounds for believing, that a notice setting out a description of the place where the remains are or the article is situated, being a description that is sufficient to enable the remains or article to be located, was given to the Minister by another person before it was practicable for the first‑mentioned person to give such a notice. Penalty: (a) if the offender is a natural person—50 penalty units; or (b) if the offender is a body corporate—250 penalty units.