Ecological and Legal Problems of the Formation and Functioning of Water Protection Zones

Abstract

The paper reveals the content of "protection of water bodies" concept, giving particular attention to the consideration of the legal regime of water protection zones and coastal protection zones as one of the legal mechanisms for the protection of water bodies from pollution, clogging, siltation. The author analyses of the peculiarities of the legal regime of water protection zones of the Soviet and current Russian legislation. Based on the current legislation and current judicial practice, the author considers the characteristics of the legal regime of the above mentioned zones and some problems of compliance with the regime (for example, violation of the legal regime of the water protection zone due to the absence of information signs on the ground), which one has to face in practice. In this regard, the author gives special attention to the need to inform nature users and increase their level of ecological culture. The author concludes that there is some inconsistency of the current water legislation in the context of the legal regime of water protection zones and coastal protection zones with the ecosystem approach in nature management. The formally envisaged legal regulation creates only the appearance of effective mechanisms for water protection.