Incidental recovery of sunken property and finding: legal correlation of concepts

The article presents the analysis of the correlation between the legal regulation of incidental recovery of sunken property and conventional civil finding. A conclusion is made that it is impossible to fully equate these concepts. The arguments are given that it is inappropriate to establish two different legal regimes for incidental recovery of sunken property in the Commercial Maritime Code of the Russian Federation and in the Inland Water Transport Code of the Russian Federation. Numerous legal gaps have been identified in the special legal regulation of incidental recovery of sunken property. It is proposed to eliminate the gaps by either legislative replenishment or by direct reference to the general civil rules covering findings.