Skälder Bay

{{Short description|Bay in Skåne County, Southern Sweden}}

{{Infobox body of water

| name = Skälder Bay

| native_name ={{native name|sv|Skälderviken}}

| other_name =

| image = BarkåkraKyrka21500001491516.jpg

| alt = View of lake

| caption = View from the North-East

| pushpin_map = Sweden Scania # Sweden

| pushpin_map_alt = Location of bay

| image_bathymetry =

| alt_bathymetry =

| caption_bathymetry =

| location = Skåne County, Sweden

| coordinates = {{coord|format=dms|region:SV_type:waterbody|display=inline,title}}

| type =

| etymology =

| part_of = Kattegat

| inflow =

| rivers =

| basin_countries =

| agency =

| designation = Ramsar

| length = {{convert|23|km|abbr=on}}

| width = {{convert|14|km|abbr=on}}

| area = {{convert|92.97|km2|abbr=on}}

| depth =

| max-depth = {{convert|25.6|m|abbr=on}}

| volume =

| salinity =

| shore =

| islands =

| website =

| reference =

}}

{{Designation list

| designation1 = Ramsar

| designation1_offname = Skälderviken

| designation1_date = 14 November 2001

| designation1_number = 1127

}}

Skälder Bay ({{langx|sv|Skälderviken}}) is a bay in Skåne County, Sweden. It is an inlet of the Kattegat on the western coast of Scania, located between the Bjäre Peninsula to the north (which separates it from Laholm Bay) and the Kullen Peninsula to the south (which separates it from Øresund). The town of Ängelholm is located at the head of the bay.

Its depth at the entrance is between {{Convert|20|and|25.6|m}}, gradually rising towards the head of the bay. The bottom is rocky near the northeastern and southwestern shores, but it is mostly sand and clay in the central part.{{cite book |title=Sailing Directions for the Kattegat and the Sound |date=23 June 1962 |issue=Change No. 3 to H.O. Pub. No. 41 |page=122 |url=https://books.googleusercontent.com/books/content?req=AKW5QaeghBeRNROnUaqjFRkHnQN4BrgbFqwnGVgj74vIrx1fQm4hkY0ZVOTrbfqj4pDjpaqG4HHFfUeUWrEseDPSSI_gb0V8QvJ_nEEV0_QP9Aahd6VwfxE_4VbJwzEYXIRMPGdCToxO8Qwq9kT6UOVoYSN0K5rWS8x5r8br0sk4mw-uvEUvbLJd2545rHqQ1S5D6y6Oh6xH0lrKq8vfKnk6QcNXXOIl2vB9qqZz3R-iT8haUFjkUbXl_yC33MLNSThtFNRRRS1y |access-date=16 June 2021 |publisher=U.S. Navy Hydrographic Office |url-status=}}{{dead link|date=September 2023}}

A portion of the southern shores and waters of the bay are part of the Skälderviken Ramsar site. Designated since 2001, the {{Convert|1463|ha}} site is of national importance for commercial fishing, since it is an important spawning ground, nursery, and feeding area, especially for the Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and flatfish species. Furthermore, a number of nationally vulnerable bird species such as the ruff (Philomachus pugnax), bar-tailed godwit (Limosa lapponica), and the common kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) breed and winter there.{{cite web |title=Skälderviken |url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1127 |website=rsis.ramsar.org |publisher=Ramsar Sites Information Service |access-date=15 June 2021}}

File:Ängeholm Höganâs - skälderviken IMG 1794.jpg