The Crown reserved to itself certain properties under the jurisdiction of "admiralty droits": all "great fish" found within the beach zone below high water mark; all beach "deodands"; "wreck of the sea"; "flotsam" (goods floating on the water); "jetsam" (goods jettisoned by a crew); and "lagan" (jettisoned goods tied with buoys.)

The Crown also reserved to itself in private grants one fifth of all precious metals mined and certain resources such as white pine trees, which were found to be useful for ship's masts.