Kosterhavet National Park

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Kosterhavet National Park is the first national marine park in Sweden, inaugurated on September 2009. It is part of the Skagerrak sea and is located in Strömstad and Tanum municipalities in Bohuslän, Västra Götaland County, Sweden. 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.NatureThe 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 (Koster Fjord) is 200m deep with relatively low temperature – 5to – 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.