The Site is a coastal nature reserve with hundreds of islands, skerries, islets and shallow marine waters, in the outermost coastal zone. It has extensive seaweed and kelp beds and is rich in marine invertebrates and fish. The outermost parts of the area have bare skerries and rocky outcrops devoid of vegetation due to the rough seas, while the larger, more protected islands have bogs and meadows. The vegetation is to a large degree characterized by traditional agriculture; for example, the large heather meadows have been burned and grazed by livestock for centuries. The Site is a very important wintering, moulting and breeding area for seabirds and for breeding coastal seals, and it supports red-listed bird species such as the long-tailed duck Clangula hyemalis and the Atlantic puffin Fratercula arctica. Human activities include nature conservation, fishing, livestock farming and boating.