White Sea, Marginal sea in northwestern Russia
This marginal sea lies in northwestern Russia as a southern extension of the Barents Sea, covering roughly 90,000 square kilometers (35,000 square miles). Four large bays shape the coastline: Kandalaksha to the west, Onega and Dvina to the south, and Mezen to the east.
From the 1400s until the early 1700s, this waterway served as the main maritime trade route connecting Russia with western Europe. The founding of Saint Petersburg shifted commercial activity southward and reduced the importance of northern sea lanes.
Fishing communities along the coast rely on methods passed down through generations, using small wooden boats to navigate the shallow bays. Local people harvest kelp and catch seasonal fish during the brief summer months when the ice retreats.
The sea connects to Lake Onega through a canal system that allows vessels to travel between northern and southern waterways. During winter the surface freezes completely, while summer brings open water and access to coastal villages by small boat.
Beluga whales enter the shallow bays during summer to give birth, sometimes swimming close enough to shore that observers can watch from coastal rocks. The water hosts over 700 species of invertebrates and 60 types of fish despite months of complete ice cover each winter.
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