Current view: Text account
Site description (2000 baseline):
Site location and context
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.
The area holds the largest population of
Larus fuscus fuscus in the country, and also is important for other archipelagic species such as
Alca torda and
Cepphus grylle. During spring migration hundreds of thousands of Arctic ducks stop over within the IBA.
Pressure/threats to key biodiversity
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.
National High
International High520 ha of IBA covered by National Park (Itäinen Suomenlahti, 520 ha). 93,043 ha of IBA covered by Special Protection Area (Itäisen Suomenlahden saaristo ja vedet).
Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Itäinen Suomenlahti National Park (Finland). Downloaded from
https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/itäinen-suomenlahti-national-park-iba-finland on 23/12/2024.
