Strongly influenced by glacial erosion , the shoreline is complex with about 4000 coastal islands and many bays and inlets slashing inland for several kilometres. A precipitous coast ranging in height from 200-1000 m is broken by spectacular fjords and deeply incised valleys. Some 90 species of Arctic and subarctic marine and anadromous fish occur in the region, with important Atlantic cod , Atlantic salmon, Arctic charr and capelin spawning grounds. Several breeding colonies support more than 100,000 pairs of Atlantic puffins , common murres and razorbills , including 60 percent of the North American population of the latter. King eiders , dovekies, murres and kittiwakes stage and winter offshore.
Harbour seals are resident here, while ringed and bearded seals winter in the area.
About 60 percent of all harp seal pups in the Northwest Atlantic are born here. Atlantic white-sided dolphins, belugas , northern bottlenose , sperm, blue , fin, sei, minke, humpback, pilot and killer whales are present during the summer. Polar bears are more common in the north, though the occasional one is seen further south, having floated down on a pan of ice. This region is not yet represented in the national marine conservation areas system. Selection of the preferred site for consideration as a possible national marine conservation area is the next step.