1. The coastal zone
1.1 Description of the coastal zone
1.2 Definition of the coastal zone
1.3 Setback lines policy
2. Spatial Planning in the Coastal Zone
2.1 Authority
2.2 Policy
2.3 Legislation
3. Coastal and Marine Environmental Policy
3.1 Authority
3.2 Policy
3.3 Legislation
4. Coastal and Marine Nature Conservation Policy
4.1 Authority
4.2 Policy
4.3 Legislation
5. Economic developments, important sectors and trends
5.1 Transport and harbours
5.2 Energy
5.3 Fishery
5.4 Recreation
6. The Current State of Integrated Coastal Zone Management
6.1 Legal framework
6.2 Finished projects
6.3 Ongoing projects
6.4 Initiatives related to ICZM
6.5 Evaluation
7. NGOs and other private stakeholders
8. References

1. The coastal zone

1.1 Description of the coastal zone
The Russian Federation has three federal areas on the Baltic Sea coast: Kaliningrad oblast, Leningrad oblast and the City of St. Petersburg.

Kaliningrad oblast (Kaliningrad Region) is the westernmost part of Russia, separated from the mainland by Belorussia and Lithuania. The district is 15,100 square kilometres with a population of about 930,000 people. The length of the coastline is about 185 km. Kaliningrad region is a special economic zone with some privileges in custom rules and tax exemptions. Two significant natural landscapes form a large part of the Kaliningrad coast: the Curonian Spit, continued to north within Lithuania, and the Baltic Spit generally placed in Poland.

Leningrad region is situated across the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland and subdivided near the mouth of the Neva River by the City of St. Petersburg. There is a forest region where woodstands occupy near 53 per cent of the area, however, the population density is high (75 inhabitants per sq. km) and some large cities (Vyborg, Sosnovy Bor, Primorsk) have sea harbours. The total population of the Leningrad region is about 1,675,000 people (approx. 400 000 in coastal municipalities) and the whole maritime agglomeration including the City of St. Petersburg has 5,200,000 inhabitants.

The coast of the Gulf of Finland is quite different with fjords and fjards in the north, shallow brackish Neva Bay semi-isolated by the St. Petersburg flood protection dam in the east and large bays in the south.

1.2 Definition of the coastal zone
The coastal zone and sea-shores in the Russian Federation are not a subject for any special acts. The rights of the federal and regional authorities concerning coastal zone management are delineated by the 1993 Constitution of the Russian Federation, the Water Code of the Russian Federation (1995), the Land Code of the Russian Federation (2001) and a President's Decree "On federal natural resources" (1993).

It was established that the territorial sea and the inner marine waters below the coastal line are a “federal resource” and should fall under the responsibility of the federal government. The territory above zero depth line is assumed as "land", even rivers and lagoons, which are known as "water fund lands". Any land is under regional responsibility.

The Water Code of the Russian Federation has defined "the water protection zone" defined as a land with a special regime of economic regulation along any water object (i.e. river, lake, sea). The purpose of special regime designation is sustainability of water quality and nature conservation for water fauna and flora protection.

That part of the water protection zone which is in immediately contact with waters is known as the "coastal strip". This term appears in a number of federal acts, which deal with environmental policy and use and protection of water resources. It will be presumed as an analogue of the coastal zone for this report. Direct prohibition of forest cutting, ploughing and new construction within the coastal strip was established for any territory with exceptions for city areas and harbours.

The size of both the water protection zone and coastal strip vary according to the1996 Governmental Directive. Generally, the width of the water protection zone for the sea-shore is 2 km land-ward with a 500 m coastal strip. The same rules existing in sanitary regulations and some other acts.

The real protection measures are those closest to the sea part of the coastal strip, which is 30-100 m wide depending to the slope of the coast.

1.3 Setback lines policy
Article 111 of the Water Code of the Russian Federation establisheds a statute of "water protection zone of water objects", where "water object" is any stream, river, lake, reservoir, sea within the boundaries of the Russian Federation.

Governmental Decision No. 1404 from 23 November 1996 appoints general regulations on water protection zones and includes determination of the "coastal protective strip" laying along the water object within the boundaries of the water protection zone.

The minimum size of the water protection zone for the seacoast is defined as 500 m from the maximal water stand whereas the minimal size of the coastal protective strip is varying from 30 up to 100 m. Normally, the general scheme of the water protection zone should be determined by the regional government, following a suggestion of the Basin Board on Water Management of the Ministry on Natural Resources of the Russian Federation. In practice, in most cases, planners use minimal sizes as default.

A wide range of activities (use of chemicals for agriculture and forestry, oil and fuel operations, any construction without specific permission) is prohibited in the water protection zone and some extra ones in the coastal protective strip (ploughing, any use of fertilisers, etc.). However, it is important to note that the restrictions of the water protection zone are not valid for urban territories (i.e. those lands which are officially included in city or town territories).

Federal sanitary regulations assume a regime of sanitary protection of the sea coast with a 2 km wide protective zone.

2. Spatial Planning in the Coastal Zone

2.1 Authority
Russia is a federal state consisting of 89 regions. Planning takes place at a federal, regional and local level. The General Settlement Development Scheme (GSDS) for the Russian Federation Territory (national-planning guidelines, the last one adopted in 1995) is to be enforced by the Government of the Russian Federation. However, GSDS has low importance for real planning due to rapid changes in the economic situation and investors' interests, while the state authorities remain passive in spatial planning.

In Russia, at present, there is no organisation managing and planning the coastal zone and special state agencies responsible for ICZM are absent. Definition of a structure and authorities of state institutions is still a problem for the control of coastal areas. At a federal level, the main responsibility for implementation and co-ordination of the national urban development policies lies with the State Committee on Construction.

A sophisticated system of duplicating development, urban planning and land planning authorities operates at a regional level. Regional subdivisions of the State Committee on Land Cadastre, supervised both by the federal and regional governments, need to have a consensus with the regional Committee on Urban Development and Architecture, the regional Ministry on Economic Development and elected heads of municipalities for any decision. However, there is also a significant role of THE regional boards of the Ministry on Natural Resources and State Sanitary Survey of the Ministry on Health which should be mentioned.

Finally, at a municipal and regional level the final decision on every planning project should be adopted by the appropriate mayor or governor in consecutive order.

2.2 Policy
Two kinds of plans could be developed for every territory: general plans (for federal lands, cities and municipalities) and territorial comprehensive schemes (sectoral tools for forestry, agriculture, energy sector, transportation system, etc.).

General plans are for a 25 year period of implementation and territorial comprehensive schemes for 10 years. Unfortunately, all three federal lands on the Baltic coast have old general plans (which have not yet been adapted to the new socio-economic conditions and geopolitical situation), which are not in use.

Municipalities have authority on urban development and architecture at their level, to approve urban development documentation and to issue building permits. Every municipality (with the exception of the municipalities within the City of St. Petersburg) has a general plan reviewed at least once during the last decade. Two coastal municipalities in the Leningrad region (Kingisepp and Lomonosov district) have a special Surplan on Environmental and Economic Zoning developed in the last 5 years.

2.3 Legislation
The existing system of the national legislation of the Russian Federation does not cover coastal protection or ICZM as a special issue.

• Water Code (1995)
• Governmental Directive on water protection zone and coastal strip (1996)
• Land Code (2001)
• Urban Development Code (1998)
• Law on Protected Areas (1995)
• Law on General Principles of Municipal Self-Governance (1996)

3. Coastal and Marine Environmental Policy

3.1 Authority
There is no special governmental body for the coastal and marine environmental policy. Ministry on Natural Resources presumes general competence in this field.

The Marine Board of Government is a special administrative body which develop plans and supervise on any policy in this zone. The Board is a consultancy body directed by the Prime-Minister of the Russian Federation.

Part of the land, as well as the territorial sea, the continental shelf and the exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation, falls under exceptional federal regulations, when planning is governed by other responsible ministries. Also, several ministries are responsible for coastal zone policy (on the terrestrial and maritime sides) according to their mandate e.g. the Ministry of Health, the State Committee on Fishery, the Ministry of Fuels and Energy, etc. The Special Maritime Inspection of the Ministry on Natural Resources has a key role in controlling pollution of marine waters.

At a regional level, the coastal zone policy is under the jurisdiction of regional administration and regional branches of corresponding ministries.

3.2 Policy
General statements of environmental policy in the country were established in the Concept of sustainable development adopted by the Russian government in 2002. The spirit and main principles of the Concept came from international agreements signed by Russia.

3.3 Legislation

• Law on Environmental Protection (2002)
• Water Code (1995)
• Law on Environment Impact Assessment (1995)

4. Coastal and Marine Nature Conservation Policy

4.1 Authority
On the federal level of jurisdiction, several agencies are responsible for nature conservation. The main administrative body is the Ministry for Nature Resources with its departments of Protected Areas and Biodiversity Conservation. These two departments are responsible for the supervision and management of all the activities of the federal level protected areas (strict scientific protected areas – “zapovedniki” - and national parks) and all the activities related to rare and threatened species. The department of ecological expertise is responsible for the evaluation of any environment impact assessment. According to the delineation of rights between federal and regional competence, all the projects in coastal waters are under federal jurisdiction.

Protection of marine resources in coastal and exclusive economical zones is a responsibility of the Marine Boundary Forces, a special department of the Federal Boundary Guard. Wise-use and protection of resources for fisheries (including invertebrates and marine mammals) are under the supervision of the State Committee for Fishery which is responsible for the adoption of the Rules for Fishery and the estimation of the available stock for each area and species. The Department of Hunting and Game falls under the Ministry of Agriculture and is responsible for the management and protection of game species.

On the regional level, regional branches of the corresponding ministries have to co-ordinate their activities with the regional administration. The regional administration is responsible for the creation and management of regional level protected areas, such as nature parks, nature monuments and reserves. It is also responsible for the adoption of Regional rules for fisheries and game and hunting within the framework of federal law. Regional lists of protected and threatened species are also compiled regional authorities.

4.2 Policy
The mainstream of Russia’s conservation policy is in accordance with international agreements and conventions signed by the country. The milestones have been determined by global conventions e.g. Biodiversity Convention, Ramsar Convention on the protection of wetlands and regional conventions and agreements such as Helsinki Convention on protection of the Baltic Sea.

On the federal level, several documents determine the conservation strategy. General guidelines for conservation policy are provided by the Concept of sustainable development (2002) mentioned above. The approaches to the further development of a federal network of protected areas are identified in the General Scheme of Protected Areas. Territories proposed for zapovedniki and national parks are listed there. Wetlands, which have to be protected under the Ramsar convention, are listed in the List of the Ramsar Sites and proposed areas are included in periodically updated List of Proposed Ramsar Sites. The Red Data Book of the Russian Federation includes species under threat, which cannot be removed without special permission. The habitats of these species are also protected and any type of activity which could destroy the object of protection are prohibited.

On the regional level, the regional development plans can include special parts on natural and biodiversity conservation. Urgent measures for conservation of any territory or species can be adopted by the regional administration.

4.3 Legislation
The protection of biotopes of the coastal zone of the Baltic Sea is regulated by:

• Law on Fauna (1995)
• Water Code (1995)
• Land-use Code (2001)
• Forest Code (1997)
• The rules for prevention of coastal seawater pollution (1983)
• Sanitary rules and norms for prevention of coastal seawater pollution at the regions of public water consumption (1988)
• Resolution of the USSR Council of Ministers about establishing boundaries and regimes for sanitary protection of recreation areas (1982)
• Regulations on the National park Kurshskaya kosa (1993)

5. Economic developments, important sectors and trends

5.1 Transport and harbours
There are two main harbours in Kaliningrad oblast – Kaliningrad City and Baltiisk. The development plan for the district propose to increase the marine transportation including the new ferry line between Kaliningrad and harbours of Leningrad oblast, reconstruction of the container terminal in Kaliningrad and development of the sea-port in Baltiisk. The passenger’s port in Kaliningrad should provide transportation for 100,000 passengers, 25,000 tones of luggage, 2,000 cars and 2,000 lorries in 2010. At the same time seaport in Baltiisk should be available to maintain the traffic of 2 million tonnes cargo per year.

In Leningrad oblast, new seaports have been designed for Luga bay, Batareinaya bight and in the vicinity of Primorsk city. The last one will be the largest, having 12 million tonnes capacity now with planned second (2003) and third (2005) stages to provide the transportation up to 50 million tonnes of oil and oil products. The new pipeline systems for oil transportation is being constructed and will be re-developed in a few years for the new terminals in Primorsk and Batareinaya bight.

In Luga bay sea port is designed for 35 mln t cargo transportation including coal terminal for 8 mln t. Sea port in Batareinaya is planned as an oil terminal for 15 mln t of oil.

Existing harbours in St. Petersburg, Vyborg and Vysotsk will be reconstructed. The St. Petersburg port now has capacity for 34 million tonnes cargo but has a programme for its enlargement. The port in Vyborg is now restricted by the deep-water channel and operates with 1,7 million tonnes cargo, the existing capacity of the port in Vysotsk is about 2 million tonnes.

Gasprom, the monopoly-holding Russian gas company, is planning to construct a marine gas pipeline from Leningrad region to Germany and United Kingdom, during the next decade, known as the North European Gas System.

5.2 Energy
A few projects in the energy sector relate to the construction of new generating power stations using gas fuel in Kaliningrad region and the St. Petersburg City.

The existing nuclear power station in Sosnovy Bor uses waters of the Gulf of Finland for temperature balancing and causes exceptional impact on neighbouring coastal ecosystems through warming of the coastal waters.

Oil exploration began in the Kaliningrad offshore area close to the Kurshskaya Kosa national park and will be enhanced in a few years.

5.3. Fishery
Kaliningrad is a main base for the distant operating fishery fleet working in the Baltic and North Atlantic. The local fishery sometimes plays an important role in the local economy of the coastal zone. The most vulnerable area for the coastal fishery is the Curonian Bay. The coastal fishery in the Leningrad region was mainly stopped during the last years due to a low operational profit. Economic values of fishing are low in both cases.

5.4. Recreation
Kaliningrad oblast is an important resort and recreational area. About 100 companies for tourism and recreation operate here, the number of resorts and camps is about 70 and 22 camps accommodate about 34,000 schoolchildren per year. The most important resort and recreational areas are Zelenogradsk and Svetlogorsk and Kurshskaya Kosa National park. The income from tourism and recreation was 164 m roubles in 1999 and the total number of visitors and guests in the oblast that year was 8.6 m.

The city of St. Petersburg is an important historical and cultural centre, included in the Convention on World Heritage. Its impressive architecture and a great number of museums attract a lot of visitors throughout the year. Recreational areas and resorts are also distributed along the coast of the Gulf of Finland in the Leningrad region serving a population of 5 m.

6. The Current State of Integrated Coastal Zone Management

6.1 Legal framework
ICZM in the Russian Federation is just being established with some model cases known and some important measures having been done in the past, for example coastal engineering in the Kaliningrad region. Coastal planning and coastal management practitioners will be important in the forthcoming future of the Russian Federation. This was shown in decisions of the Second Congress on Environmental Protection (2000), which recommended the adoption of a specific federal act – the Coastal Code. The draft of this act includes appropriate ICZM regulations.

Traditionally, the coastal zone of the Russian Federation has been developed in a highly centralised and sectoral manner. The need for an integrated approach to coastal issues was not regarded as important. While initiatives are encouraging, socio-economic and political instability may constrain implementation significantly.

6.2 Finished projects

EU-COMET
The overall long-term objective of this project on “Development of Integrated Coastal Management training and education” is to promote higher education in ICZM. It entails the development of a methodology of ICZM training and education within a wider European framework. The development of the first training course in Russia specialising in ICZM has been initiated and launched by the Faculty of Oceanography of the Russian State Hydrometeorological University (RSHU, St. Petersburg).

Coastal conservation and local Agenda 21 - a pilot project for Russia
This project started in 1997 and is a complex project with many partners involved. The "Coastal conservation" part includes: development of the management plan for the Koorgalsky Peninsula, development of proposals for enhancement of the regional coastal legislation, assessment of biodiversity on the coast of the Gulf of Finland and proposals for the inclusion of the coastal peninsula in the Pan-European Ecological Network.

One of the local projects was realised in the Kingisepp District of the Leningrad Oblast. The main aim of the project was to test a policy document - The Coastal Code of Conduct for Coastal Zones - in a pilot project for complex development of the coastal zone of the Kingisepp District. Implementation of the project appeared to be extremely useful to Russian specialists since it made it possible to compare “best practice” dealing with the problems under consideration with ongoing practice in the Kingisepp District and to show ways for its improvement. The authority of the district has adopted the document and pledged to implement several of its findings within the constraints of their budget.

Environmental and Economic Zoning for Lomonosov municipality of the Leningrad region
This project was finished in 2001 with the adoption of municipal zoning at a regional level including ICZM concept regulations. The project was organised by a large number of partners headed by the State Institute for Urban Planning (LenNIIPGradostroitelstva). It was an important example of the co-operation of local stakeholders for planning environmental measures and economic projects at a municipal level.

6.3 Ongoing projects

TACIS projects on strategic planning in Kaliningrad region
The regional law on strategic planning was adopted by the Kaliningrad regional representative body and includes appropriate environmental planning regulations. A wide spectrum of experts from the EU, Lithuania and the Russian Federation are trying to involve regional government into a comprehensive programme of long-term planning.

The programme put special attention on public participation, accounting of stakeholders' interests and the exceptional role of the region, which will be surrounded by EU member-states in the forthcoming future.

6.4 Initiatives related to ICZM

Waste Water Treatment of St. Petersburg
The untreated wastewater from one and a half million St. Petersburg residents is currently discharged directly into the river Neva. Untreated waste waters pollute the city’s waterways causing eutrophication. Some of this nutrient load remains on the eastern side of St. Petersburg’s unfinished protective dam but most of it reaches the Gulf of Finland. It presents an exceptionally serious problem. Construction of the southwest wastewater treatment plant was initiated in the year 2000. International co-operation on the project involved Denmark, Finland and Sweden. A financial and implementation strategy for the project will be ready by the beginning of 2001 and the technical plan based on this strategy will be completed by the start of 2002. This would enable construction work to begin during 2002 so that 2004 could complete the main work.
General Transportation Scheme for the Gulf of Finland
This is a planning project for the co-ordination of infrastructure policy on the coast of the Gulf of Finland. The goal is for joint transport infrastructure development and environment impact assessment. The Marine Administration of St. Petersburg Harbour is the main co-ordinator of the project, which involves directly or indirectly some federal ministries (Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Natural Resources, etc.), the largest companies in metal, chemical, oil and gas industry and the regional authorities of the City of St. Petersburg and of the Leningrad region. Co-ordinated activities are related to new harbours', railroads, pipelines, specific industrial facilities (like oil refineries, for example) construction along the shoreline areas.

Joint Comprehensive Environmental Action Programme for the Baltic Sea (JCP)
The JCP was adopted in 1992 to constitute a 'Strategic Action Plan' for the Baltic Sea region. It provides an environmental management framework for long-term restoration of the ecological balance of the Baltic Sea ecosystem through a series of preventive and curative actions to be undertaken in a phased manner in the region. The five recipient countries, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and the Russian Federation opted for Global Environment Facility (GEF) assistance within this framework through the United Nations Development Programme and the World Bank. Updated and strengthened in 1998, the JCP Framework has formed a fruitful basis for further regional projects.

6.5 Evaluation
A modest or decreasing political will and a lack of funding may be a problem in Russia. Where there is a sufficient legislation, it is often the problem that legislation is not implemented in an adequate way and exceptions from regulations may be granted too liberally. In Russia, there is either a lack of a responsible ministry/authority or a legal framework. Moreover, the regional authorities seem to have a negative attitude to coastal problems. Local authorities and the public have a positive attitude but lack the necessary influence and funding. The process of national implementation of environmental and planning recommendations of HELCOM and VASAB is a problem in Russia. They have problems to fulfil the implementation due to institutional instability. In Russia at present there is no organisation managing and planning the coastal zone. At the same time some expert groups and consulting companies exists working in the ICZM sphere and interested in lobbying of adoption of coastal legislation on federal level.

7. NGOs and other private stakeholders

NGOs

Baltic Fund for Nature

A structural unit of St. Petersburg Naturalist Society (SPNS). It is set to enhance the SPNS nature conservation activities in northwestern Russia and implement joint projects and programmes.

KE Association

Consulting institution working for environmental protection and sustainable development. Leading lobbying group working on coastal legislation on federal level. The organisation had participated in a number of ICZM projects in the Leningrad region area and provides expert services in fields of legal aspects of environmental protection on coastal and marine protected areas and within offshore oil projects.

Oil Club

Co-ordinating tool of main oil transportation and fuel retail companies operating in St. Petersburg market.

Trans-boundary Environmental Information Agency (TEIA)

An independent registered non-profit organisation established in 1995, whose goal is to promote international co-operation on a non-governmental level by assisting in the distribution of information across border areas in the Baltic States and northwestern Russia. It is based in St. Petersburg.

Private stakeholders

Oil and Gas Transportation Development Companies

Gasprom, Lukoil, Rosneft, Transneft, Transnefteproduct, Surgutneftegas are operating, planning or constructing new transportation facilities and coastal infrastructure in the region.

Terminal operators

Ust-Luga, Marine Commercial Port of St. Petersburg and Wood Harbour are the largest terminal operators and developers in the region.

8. References

HELCOM, 6 May 2000, “Legal base of coastal zone protection”, Russia.

International Conference ICZM & Marine Sciences, “EU-COMET: a Tempus-Tacis project as a tool for the development of and education in ICZM in the Russian Federation. September 2000, St. Petersburg, Russia.

Losekoot, N. Nature Conservation in the Russian Federation, The Hague, the Netherlands. 1996.

PROCOAST, “proceedings of the interregional Seminar on the Harmonisation of Uses and Interests in the Baltic Sea Coastal Zones”, 11 September 2000. Eckernförde, Germany.

Resolution of the International Conference on ICAM and Its Integration with Marine Sciences, 26 September 2000. St. Petersburg, Russia.

United for the Baltic Sea, Ten Years of Environmental Co-operation in Central and Eastern Europe. Ministry of the Environment of Finland, 2000.

Kaliningrad regional administration http://gov.kaliningrad.ru/index.php3

Leningrad regional administration http://www.lenobl.ru/index1.php