Productivity is exceptionally high, and is greatest at the mouth of the bay. The area is critically important as a migratory staging area for millions of birds, and is also a significant summering and wintering area. At various times of the year important concentrations of gulls, terns , cormorants, phalaropes, dovekies, razorbills , black guillemots, common murres and sea ducks occur throughout the region. From June to October, important concentrations of harbour porpoises, fin, minke, humpback, and sei whales are found, notably in the outer bay. The mouth of the bay is particularly important as a nursery area for the endangered right whale , mother-calf pairs and juveniles being the most commonly sighted.
Harbour seals are resident and abundant.
This region is not yet represented in the national marine conservation areas system. A study to assess the feasibility of creating a national marine conservation area in the West Isles area was suspended in 1986. Though technically feasible, the prospect of a conservation area was not supported by local residents. Since then, the West Isles area has become the focal point for salmonid aquaculture in Atlantic Canada. A reexamination of area identification work in the marine region, with a view to identifying alternative representative marine areas, is the next step.