If I were lobstering, I'd consider them salvage and keep them for myself. However, I'm not lobstering right now, and the last ghost pot I pulled up went back to it's original owner! (That might be a first!) He had a plastic name tag with his phone number on the pot, so I called him up and left the pot at the boat launch. I did a follow up call the next day and found out that he did come and pick it up.