Itäinen Suomenlahti National Park (1308)
Finland, Europe
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2025
National site name: Itäisen Suomenlahden kansallispuisto
Central coordinates: Latitude: 60.3333, Longitude: 27.0000
System: terrestrial, marine
Elevation (m): 0 to 0
Area of KBA (km2): 973.22978
Protected area coverage (%): 99.27
KBA classification: Regional
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: A very large area of outer archipelago covering the whole north-east part of the Gulf of Finland. The site comprises extensive areas of open sea scattered with several large and forested islands, and numerous small, rocky islets. There are some remarkable submerged ridges in the area, and, more importantly for the avifauna, extensive spawning areas of the Baltic herring.</P>
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: The area holds the largest population of <I>Larus fuscus fuscus</I> in the country, and also is important for other archipelagic species such as <I>Alca torda</I> and <I>Cepphus grylle</I>. During spring migration hundreds of thousands of Arctic ducks stop over within the IBA.</P>
Manageability of the site: Site identified based on BirdLife International's Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, under which manageability is strongly recommended but not explicitly documented
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Human impact is high with all-year-round habitation, persistent recreation, shipping, professional fishing and hunting causing slight to serious disturbance to birds. Spring hunting, once an important dietary supplement for local people, but nowadays just a hobby for young men living in coastal villages, probably causes most disturbance. Part of the area is a candidate SAC.</P>
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases | Unspecified species | Ongoing |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Recreational activities | Ongoing |
Additional information
Contributors: Site identified based on Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas by the BirdLife International Partnership