Onega Bay: location, description, features

The White Sea belongs to the inner seas of the coldest Arctic Ocean. It falls into such large rivers as Onega, Severnaya Dvina, Mezen and others. The largest bays are Dvinsky, Kandalaksha, Mezensky and Onega Bay. The coastline of the sea has a different terrain. In the northwestern part, the shore is rocky, high, but in the southeast a low, gently sloping coast opens.

Geographical location of the Onega Bay

Onega Bay is a bay located in the water area of the White Sea. Its length is about 185 km. The minimum width of the bay is 50 km, the maximum reaches 100 km. The average depth of the reservoir is 16 m, but the deepest water level is 36 m.

The bay is deeply dissecting the continent. It has an elongated shape and extends from the southeast to the northwest. The White Sea-Baltic canal connects the bay with the Baltic Sea. Onega Bay on the map has such coordinates: 64 ^of 30 ^/ s. W. And 36 ^about 30 ^/ in. E.

Biological features of Onega Bay

On the territory of the Gulf there are about 1,900 islands. During the 6-7 months of the year, the waters of the Onega Bay are chained with ice. Despite this, the benthos is very rich in variety of species. There are sites where the number of mussels is about 50 kg per square meter.

The Bay of the White Sea near the Solovetsky Islands has a frontal zone, due to which the productivity of zooplankton and phytoplankton is very high. In this area, such species of fish as the White Sea herring and cod live.

On the coast, there are entire colonies of various species of birds, among which the largest population of polar terns, ducks and klush.

Onega Bay plays an important role for a number of migratory and wintering birds. For wintering in these places, ordinary eiders stop (the number of the colony is from 30 to 40 thousand individuals) and cleaners, the population of which is about 10 000 birds. About a hundred species of birds can be found in this region throughout the year.

The Gulf of the White Sea is a haven for belugas that reproduce in these waters. In the water area there are about 8 groups of these mammals, the number of which is up to 1,200 individuals. Their number increases during the summer due to migration of beluga whales from the Barents Sea. During this period, their numbers can reach 3,500 individuals.

The ringed seal is also the inhabitant of these harsh places. You can meet her near the Solovki archipelago and in the inner part of the lip.

The Islands

Most of the islands are treeless. Of plants in these places most often found dwarf birch. Onega Bay has a huge number of islands, the most famous of which are:

• The Solovetsky archipelago;
• about. Shuyostrov;
• about. Hedostrov;
• about. Cue;
• about. Myagostro;
• Big and Small Zhuzhmuy and others.

Fisheries

In the White Sea, fisheries are not as developed as in the Barents Sea. Therefore, the catch of the White Sea cod, herring and navaga does not have a serious impact on the decline in the population of these fish species. On a smaller scale, salmon, Atlantic salmon and whitefish are caught.

Serious Threats

Poachers are one of the serious threats to the salmon population. Illegal fishing leads to a significant reduction in this species.

Another serious problem is the oil pollution of the Gulf in the area of navigable waterways. This phenomenon is especially dangerous for birds stopping for wintering in polynyas. Oil waste can cause the death of migratory birds.

Anxiety to birds during the breeding season can be provided by water tourism and shipping.

High tides

Onega Bay is part of the White Sea, which belongs to the basin of the Arctic Ocean. Even in the summer, the temperature of this reservoir is quite low. Surface water is heated to 6-15 degrees, closer to the coastline, the temperature indicator can reach 18 degrees. The formation of ice begins in October, and ice-freezing can last up to 7 months.

In the open sea, surface currents are very weak, their speed does not exceed 1 km / h, while in the bays it increases.

In height, the tides can range from a few centimeters to 3 meters, depending on the area of the water area. This leads to the fact that in the narrow straits the currents intensify. Tides are quite common in this region. Especially they are dangerous in the shallows. During the day there are 2 low tides and the same tides.