The Kandalaksha State Nature Reserve was founded in 1932 to protect commercial bird species, first of all, the eider. The larger part of the reserve is a sea area, so the Kandalaksha Reserve can be considered to be the first marine park founded in Russia. Since 1939, it has been guarding all wildlife and non-living nature in the region. The reserve comprises over 550 islands scattered around the Kola Peninsula.