Kosterhavet National Park
{{Short description|National park in Sweden}}
{{Expand French|Parc national de Kosterhavet|fa=yes|topic=geo|date=December 2011}}
{{Infobox protected area
| name = Kosterhavet National Park
| alt_name = Kosterhavets nationalpark
| iucn_category = II
| photo = Nordkoster Klapperstensvallar.jpg
| photo_width =
| photo_caption =
| nearest_city = Strömstad
| coords = {{coord|58|50|N|11|01|E|region:SE_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| area = {{convert|388.78|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}}{{cite web| title=Kosterhavet National Park| url=http://www.naturvardsverket.se/en/In-English/Menu/Enjoying-nature/National-parks-and-other-places-worth-visiting/National-Parks-in-Sweden/Kosterhavet-National-Park/| publisher=Naturvårdsverket| accessdate=2009-11-05| url-status=dead| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090923175443/http://www.naturvardsverket.se/en/In-English/Menu/Enjoying-nature/National-parks-and-other-places-worth-visiting/National-Parks-in-Sweden/Kosterhavet-National-Park| archivedate=2009-09-23}}
| established = 2009
| visitation_num =90,000
| visitation_year =
| governing_body = Environmental Protection Agency
| url = [http://www.lansstyrelsen.se/vastragotaland/Projektwebbar/Kosterhavet/Information_in_English Official website]
}}
Kosterhavet National Park ({{langx|sv|Kosterhavets nationalpark}}, literally The Koster Sea National Park) is the first national marine park in Sweden, inaugurated in September 2009.{{cite web|title=Kosterhavets webbplats|url=http://www.lansstyrelsen.se/vastragotaland/Projektwebbar/Kosterhavet/|publisher=Västra Götaland County Administrative Board|language=Swedish|trans-title=Website of the Kosterhavet Marine National Park|date=10 September 2009|accessdate=10 September 2009}} It is part of the Skagerrak sea and is located in Strömstad and Tanum municipalities in Bohuslän, Västra Götaland County, Sweden.{{cite web|url= http://www.naturvardsverket.se/sv/Arbete-med-naturvard/Satsning-pa-havsmiljo/Skydd-av-marina-omraden/Kosterhavet-planeras-bli-Sveriges-forsta-marina-nationalpark/|title= Kosterhavet planeras bli Sveriges första marina nationalpark|publisher= Naturvårdsverket|language= Swedish|accessdate= 2009-06-26|url-status= dead|archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20090330195818/http://www.naturvardsverket.se/sv/Arbete-med-naturvard/Satsning-pa-havsmiljo/Skydd-av-marina-omraden/Kosterhavet-planeras-bli-Sveriges-forsta-marina-nationalpark/|archivedate= 2009-03-30}}{{cite news|url=http://www.svd.se/nyheter/inrikes/artikel_2618793.svd|title=Sveriges första marina nationalpark|date=19 March 2009|publisher=Svenska Dagbladet|language=Swedish|trans-title=Sweden's first marine national park|accessdate=26 June 2009}} It consists of the sea and shores around the Koster Islands, excluding everything else on the islands. In the north, it borders the Norwegian marine park of Ytre Hvaler.
Kosterhavet National Park is home to Sweden's largest seal colony.Proctor, James (2014). West Sweden. Bradt Travel Guides. Page 51. {{ISBN|9781841625591}}.
Nature
{{Swedish National Parks}}
The environment in the park is unique to Swedish waters. Over 6,000 marine species have been identified, about 200 of them can not to be found elsewhere in Sweden. The Kosterfjord ({{langx|en|Koster Fjord}})Alander, Harald. 1942. Sponges from the Swedish West-Coast and Adjacent Waters. Göteborg: Henrik Struves boktryckeri, p. 8.Rice, James (ed.). 2010. Great Escapes: 500 Unforgettable Travel Experiences. London: Rough Guides, p. 104. is {{convert|200|m|ft|abbr=on}} deep with relatively low temperature – {{convert|5|to|7|°C|°F|0|lk=on}} – and high salinity (about 35%). Brachiopod, sponge and coral larvae are brought in by currents from the Atlantic. Rare seabirds, such as Arctic terns and skuas, along with a large population of harbor seals have their habitat here. Plaice, cod and sea trout breed in the more shallow waters closer to the shore.{{cite web|url =http://www.lansstyrelsen.se/NR/rdonlyres/FA3F8AF3-8BEE-4744-8DEF-AE5576CE0E00/149485/nationalparksfoldernENV5lagupplost.pdf|archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20231120093401/https://www.lansstyrelsen.se/NR/rdonlyres/FA3F8AF3-8BEE-4744-8DEF-AE5576CE0E00/149485/nationalparksfoldernENV5lagupplost.pdf|url-status =dead|archive-date =November 20, 2023|title =Kosterhavet|publisher =Naturvårdsverket|accessdate =10 September 2009}}{{cite web|url=http://www.lansstyrelsen.se/NR/rdonlyres/3E574BDB-AFF8-4ED7-8740-D296E73E692F/81013/KosterhavetNP_Murcia.pdf|title=Kosterhavet|editor=Bengt Frizell |publisher=Västra Götaland County Administrative Board|accessdate=10 September 2009}}
Professional fishing is allowed although special regulations apply. The waters of the park is significant for the fishing of northern prawn and Norwegian lobster. Fishing is not subject to environmental protection, and are instead regulated by fishery laws and an agreement from 2000.{{cite web|url=http://sottochsalt.fiskeriverket.se/Article.asp?ArticleId=141|title=Ansvarsfullt yrkesfiske i marin nationalpark|publisher=Swedish Board of Fisheries|language=Swedish|trans-title=Responsible fishery in marine national park|accessdate=10 September 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117083601/http://sottochsalt.fiskeriverket.se/Article.asp?ArticleId=141|archive-date=2010-01-17|url-status=dead}}
Gallery
File:Kosterhavet National Park logo.svg|Kosterhavet's logo
File:Kosterhavet-Ursholmen 01.jpg|Kosterhavet National Park
File:Kosterhavet-Ursholmen-lighthouse.jpg|Kosterhavet National Park, lighthouse at Ursholmen island
File:Kosterhavet Ursholmen.jpg|Kosterhavet National Park, Ursholmen island
File:Kosterhavet national park.jpg|Kosterhavet National Park, sea
File:Kosterhavet Tjarno.jpg|Tjärnö village
File:Růžová sasanka.jpg|Anemone in the sea aquarium in Tjärnö
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Commons category-inline|Kosterhavet}}
- [http://www.lansstyrelsen.se/vastragotaland/Projektwebbar/Kosterhavet/ Kosterhavets webbplats] {{in lang|sv}}
- [http://sverigesnationalparker.se/en/choose-park---list/kosterhavet-national-park/ Sweden's National Parks: Kosterhavet National Park] from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency
{{National parks of Sweden}}
{{authority control}}
Category:Protected areas established in 2009
Category:National parks of Sweden
Category:Geography of Västra Götaland County
Category:Tourist attractions in Västra Götaland County
Category:Strömstad Municipality
{{Sweden-geo-stub}}
{{Protected-area-stub}}