Where the winds of the Baltic Sea sweep into the sheltered waters of the Gulf of Riga lies one of Latvia’s greatest natural treasures — the West Coast of the Gulf of Riga (Rīgas līča rietumu piekraste). This marine protected area (MPA), designated in 2010, stretches across more than 1320 km² of coastal shallows and deeper offshore waters.
Created to conserve both rare underwater habitats and globally significant bird populations, the site is a vital link in the ecological chain of the Baltic. Its size and diversity make it one of the cornerstones of Latvia’s marine conservation network.
Underwater landscapes of hidden richness
Beneath the surface, the seabed is anything but uniform. The MPA contains an impressive 192 km² of reefs — some open hard rock outcrops where the brown algae Fucus vesiculosus forms dense underwater forests; others are ridges or boulder fields cloaked in mussels and barnacles. These rocky structures form a rugged terrain where invertebrates find shelter, fish spawn, and predators hunt.
Between these reefs stretch wide soft-bottom habitats of sand and silt. Some areas are covered with vegetation, while others are dotted with shellfish colonies that stabilise the seabed and provide food for bottom-feeding species.
Together, these habitats form a dynamic seascape that is both resilient and fragile.
A stage for spectacular bird gatherings
If the underwater world forms the foundation, it is above the surface where the West Coast of the Gulf of Riga truly makes its mark. The MPA is internationally recognised as a haven for seabirds, particularly during migration and wintering periods.
Each year, as the northern seas ice over, tens of thousands of birds descend upon the Gulf. Flocks of long-tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis) gather in vast rafts that bob gently offshore, their calls carrying across the wind. Red-throated divers (Gavia stellata) and black-throated divers (Gavia arctica) glide effortlessly through the rolling swells before vanishing beneath the surface to hunt fish. Velvet scoters (Melanitta fusca), striking with their dark plumage and vivid eye-markings, dot the horizon, while the delicate little gull (Larus minutus) flits lightly above the water.
The numbers here are staggering: according to the Nature Conservation Plan for the area, the MPA supports more than 1% of the entire global populations of several of these species, a threshold that marks the site as a place of international importance. For the birds, the Gulf is not just a stopover but a lifeline — a place to feed, rest, and endure the long months of winter.
Long-tailed duck
(Clangula hyemalis)
Little gull
(Larus minutus)
Red-throated diver
(Gavia stellata)
The presence of the great cormorant
Among the most conspicuous seabirds of the Gulf is the great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo). These large, black-plumaged birds are masters of underwater hunting, able to dive deep and pursue fish with remarkable agility. Along the West Coast of the Gulf of Riga, cormorants gather in large colonies, often occupying small islets or rocky outcrops where their nesting sites form dense clusters.
Seen perched with wings outstretched to dry in the Baltic wind, or flying low in ragged lines, cormorants are a powerful symbol of the Gulf’s productivity. Their numbers have increased significantly over recent decades, reflecting the availability of fish and the relative safety of the protected coastline.
At the same time, cormorants have become a focus of debate in many coastal communities. Their voracious appetite for fish — and visible presence at fishing grounds — sometimes brings them into conflict with small-scale fisheries.
Yet ecologically, they play an important role as top predators, helping to shape fish populations and forming a living example for land-sea interaction by transferring nutrients from the sea to the colonies on land where they nest in large numbers.
Great cormorant
(Phalacrocorax carbo)
Challenges and the path to balance
The richness of this coast does not come without threats. Fishing pressures, including the incidental capture of seabirds and marine mammals, pose risks to fragile populations. Shipping lanes and busy ports generate constant disturbance, along with the ever-present danger of oil spills. Coastal erosion, driven by storms and rising seas, continues to reshape the shoreline, threatening both natural habitats and the livelihoods of traditional fishing communities.
Further pressures include the spread of invasive species, which compete with native reef dwellers, and the looming prospect of offshore wind developments that may alter both the horizon and the seabed. Together, these challenges place the area’s biodiversity and cultural heritage under strain.
Yet despite these pressures, the ecological condition of the MPA remains favourable. The reefs continue to serve as thriving habitats, and the seabird populations that first justified protection still return season after season.
Conservation management is therefore focused on maintaining this delicate equilibrium: preserving natural values while enabling coastal communities to sustain their centuries-old relationship with the sea.
To achieve this, the Nature Conservation Plan sets out measures not only for habitat protection and monitoring, but also for fostering sustainable tourism, research, and environmental education. Visitors who walk the long sandy beaches, observe flocks of seabirds offshore, or learn about the reefs below are encouraged to see this coastline not merely as a resource, but as a living heritage — one that needs to be safeguarded.
A flagship of Baltic conservation
The West Coast of the Gulf of Riga demonstrates how marine protection can embrace both nature and culture. It is a place where birds, reefs, and people intersect — each depending on the other in ways both obvious and hidden.
As part of Latvia’s expanding network of MPAs, this site shines as a flagship, showing that with foresight and care, the Baltic can remain a sea of abundance.
Initiatives such as the LIFE REEF project are playing a central role in this process, focusing on improving the knowledge, monitoring, and protection of reef habitats across Latvian waters. In parallel, Latvia is working to rework and modernise its management plans, ensuring that protected areas like the West Coast of the Gulf of Riga are managed in ways that reflect both the latest science and the needs of local communities.
From wind-whipped seas to the quiet gatherings of seabirds offshore, the West Coast of the Gulf of Riga endures as a sanctuary for life and a symbol of resilience on the edge of the Baltic — and, with renewed management and conservation efforts, a beacon for the future of marine protection in the region.
Red List species
Among the species listed in this article, the following are identified in HELCOM’s Red List as they face the threat of extinction due to human activities or natural environmental variability. These species are in urgent need of special attention and protection efforts:
Birds
Long-tailed duck (Clangula hyemalis) – vulnerable
Red-throated diver (Gavia stellata) - near threatened
Black-throated diver (Gavia arctica) - near threatened
Velvet scoter (Melanitta fusca) - least concern
Great coromorant (Phalacrocorox carbo) - least concern
Macrophytes
Bladder wrack (Fucus vesiculosus) - least concern
km² of coastal shallows and offshore waters.
of the entire global populations of several seabird species is supported by this MPA
km² of reefs, including hard rock outcrops, ridges, and boulder fields
km² of reefs, including hard rock outcrops, ridges, and boulder fields
of the entire global populations of several seabird species is supported by this MPA
km² of reefs, including hard rock outcrops, ridges, and boulder fields
of the entire global populations of several seabird species is supported by this MPA
of the entire global populations of several seabird species is supported by this MPA
of the entire global populations of several seabird species is supported by this MPA
of the MPA is less than 10 metres deep
of the entire global populations of several seabird species is supported by this MPA
of the entire global populations of several seabird species is supported by this MPA
