Ministerial Decree No. 77 on categorization of protected water bodies.

The categorization of protected water bodies consists of inventory, protection and designation of natural protected areas, natural habitats of wild fauna and flora and water areas not used for economic purposes. The categories are listed as (i) internal waters and the Azerbaijani section of the Caspian Sea, (ii) wetlands, (iii) running waters and reservoirs considered as rare natural landscape, (iv) water conservation zones, (v) spawning and wintering areas for valuable fish species, (vi) water bodies in forests, natural habitats of wild fauna and flora and in other protected areas, and (vii) underground water basin. The water bodies shall be categorized as protected water bodies by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Azerbaijan Amelioration and Water Management Open Joint Stock Company.