Is It Illegal to Spread Ashes at Sea?

Some people choose to keep their ashes at home or bury cremation urns. However, if your loved one was passionate about the ocean, you could scatter their ashes at sea. Thanks to cremation, families can partake in an ash scattering ceremony to celebrate the life of their loved one who had a strong connection to the waters. Sea scattering is also a lovely way to honor pet ashes.

Official Laws for Scattering Ashes in the Ocean

The laws for scattering ashes at sea are much more lenient than those for burying the body at sea. There are no legal requirements when it comes to scattering ashes except that you need permission if you are spreading them on a privately-owned stretch of waters. You don’t need a license to spread ashes on a public beach or in tidal coastal waters, but you will need to comply with some environmental guidelines if the scattering takes place within 5 miles of the shoreline. These guidelines include:

• Not scattering or throwing any non-biodegradable items into the water like wreaths, plastic, or personal items.
• Scattering the ashes in a spot away from where people swim.
• Spreading the ashes as close to the surface of the water as possible so they don’t blow away.
• Scattering the ashes at least three nautical miles from land.

How to Scatter Ashes in the Ocean

When scattering ashes, you don’t need to own a boat; you can hire a vessel that will allow you to do this. You can either use a scattering urn or a biodegradable urn. The scattering urn is designed to hold and scatter cremated ashes with ease and control. If you choose a biodegradable urn, you place the entire urn on the surface of the water. The bottom will dissolve after a few minutes, dispersing the ashes.