Irbe Strait Marine Protected Area

Marine Natura 2000 area in the Irbe Strait (Irbes jūras šaurums), the main exit from the Gulf of Riga to the open Baltic between the Courland Peninsula (Latvia) and Saaremaa (Estonia). Coastal waters run between Oviši and Cape Kolka. Designated for reef/sandbank habitats, migratory waterbirds and grey seals; forms a transboundary complex with Estonia. Seabed-damage and commercial-harvesting restrictions apply; underwater hunting is not explicitly banned by the area rules - treat as a sensitive habitat/seal area and verify restrictions.