
Conditions relating to Prospecting Licences state:
Only hand prospecting for material is allowed and only hand-held tools may be used. The use of mechanical machinery or any explosives is prohibited. The use of sluices and trommels and motorised pumps is not permitted. The licence will be withdrawn from any person breaching this condition. The use of suction dredges is illegal in Tasmania.
It seems unclear from the writing of this document, but the intent was to ban motorised sluices, not the small hand-held devices. The legislation was designed to restrict prospecting to hand-held equipment. But until this is re-written you may need to be a bit circumspect in their use. Otherwise there is nothing to prevent prospecting in the sea as long as it's not in a designated Park or Reserve, as long as you have a prospecting licence.
regards
Ralph Bottrill
Senior Geologist, Mineralogist and Petrologist
Metallic Minerals & Geochemistry
Mineral Resources Tasmania
PO Box 56, Rosny Park TAS 7018
Phone: 61 3 6233 8359, Fax: 61 3 6233 8338
Email: Ralph.Bottrill@dier.tas.gov.au or: rbottrill@mrt.tas.gov.au