LEGAL ASPECTS OF THE UNDERWATER CULTURAL HERITAGE IN SPAIN. CURRENT STATE LEGISLATION.

The Underwater Cultural Heritage is a kind of heritage that is little studied and, for that reason, protection to Underwater Cultural Heritage is yet one of the greatest novelties of the present times. There was no standard to regulate it at the international level by 2001. In turn, at a domestic level, the legislation of the Spanish State fails to have a law to protect it in a specific way, except for Law 16/1985 dated June 25 and issued by the Spanish Historic Heritage - LPHE, which includes it within the archeological heritage. The present legal paper addresses the legislation in force in the Spanish State on Underwater Cultural Heritage, with special attention given to Law 16/1985 dated June 25 of the Spanish Historic Heritage.