Egg gathering | Snuitide

Egg gathering is one of the oldest Norwegian coastal traditions. Further back than the skrei fishery, further back than modern whaling — people have gathered eggs from bird cliffs and skerries in the coastal regions for thousands of years. The egg-fowling grounds (eggvær) on Vega in Nordland are classified on UNESCO’s World Heritage List partly because of this tradition, together with the harvesting of seaweed, fish and down that has shaped the cultural landscape over generations.

Today egg gathering is heavily regulated. Seabird populations have fallen dramatically across the whole North Atlantic, and many of the classic egg-gathering species are now protected or subject to strict restrictions. The 2022 hunting-seasons regulation (jakttidsforskrift) defines what is still permitted — the short version is that from Trøndelag and northwards you may only gather eggs from the herring gull and great black-backed gull, a maximum of one egg per nest per year, and with strict seasonal limits.

For anyone wanting to take up egg gathering in 2026 it is an activity that demands thorough local knowledge, respect for both the rules and the population, and as a rule membership in a local gathering group or traditional community. It is not an activity you take up as a hobby from the outside.

What is permitted in 2026

The 2022 hunting-seasons regulation (jakttidsforskrift) sets the current framework:

Which species you are still allowed to gather eggs from:

Herring gull (Larus argentatus) — from Trøndelag and northwards
Great black-backed gull (Larus marinus) — from Trøndelag and northwards

Which species are prohibited for egg gathering:

Atlantic puffin (Fratercula arctica) — vulnerable, red-listed. Formerly a classic part of the northern Norwegian tradition.
Lesser black-backed gull (Larus fuscus) — population in sharp decline.
Black-legged kittiwake, common guillemot, Brünnich’s guillemot, razorbill — all red-listed.
Common eider — bird hunting prohibited from 2022.
Most other seabirds.

Restrictions:

A maximum of one egg per nest per year — you do not take more than one egg from the same nest.
Not after 10 May in southern Norway and Trøndelag — the birds begin to breed in earnest then.
Not after 25 May in Nordland, Troms and Finnmark — a shorter growing season in the north.
Always requires the landowner’s permission — egg gathering is not part of the right to roam.
Each colony is to be visited only once per season — to minimise disturbance.

For anyone wanting to take up egg gathering, read the exact provisions on the Norwegian Environment Agency’s (Miljødirektoratet) page on the gathering of eggs and down.

Vega — the UNESCO tradition

The Vega archipelago in Nordland is one of Norway’s finest examples of a still-living egg-fowling (eggvær) tradition. Vega was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2004, partly because of the cultural practice surrounding eider down and egg gathering.

The classic Vega tradition:

Eider down — farmers make artificial nests in the form of little houses or shelters that the common eider uses as breeding sites. After breeding, the down is collected (the eider plucks out its own down to line the nest). This is a symbiotic relationship — the bird gets a safe breeding place, the people get down that is extremely valuable (several tens of thousands of kroner per kg once cleaned).

Egg gathering — historically the Vega farmers gathered eggs from the same areas. Today egg gathering in the Vega area is largely limited to the herring gull and the great black-backed gull (the permitted species), with the gathering of eider eggs prohibited from 2022.

The Vega tradition is a good illustration that egg gathering is a complex cultural practice — not merely foraging for wild food (matauk), but a set of relationships between people, birds and landscape that has taken shape over generations. Even with stricter regulation today, the tradition continues in an adapted form.

For anyone wanting to experience Vega: the area is open to visitors, but not for direct participation in egg gathering outside the established traditional communities.

Why the rules are so strict

The Norwegian seabird population is in crisis. The classic factors:

Climate change — a warmer sea changes the availability of food for seabirds. The sandeel stock has declined, and many birds die from starvation.

Salmon lice and the aquaculture industry — affect the wild salmon that is food for some seabird species.

Pollution — plastic in the sea, oil pollution, chemical discharges.

Predation — white-tailed eagles and other birds of prey take seabird chicks.

Direct disturbance — gathering, photography, and tourism in breeding areas.

The result is that several of the classic egg-gathering species have been in decline for several decades. The Atlantic puffin is red-listed — the breeding population in Norway has fallen dramatically. The black-legged kittiwake, common guillemot, Brünnich’s guillemot and razorbill are all red-listed. The common eider was removed from the list of huntable species in 2022.

For anyone interested in seabirds: BirdLife Norge has detailed information on population trends and conservation challenges.

Practical egg gathering

If you have local ties and access to legally permitted colonies:

Preparation:

Obtain the landowner’s permission (not optional)
Check local regulation — the municipality (kommune) may have additional provisions
Know which species you are gathering from (herring gull vs great black-backed gull — important to distinguish from red-listed species)
Pack for a sea trip — boat safety, weather assessment

In the field:

Make a brief stay at the colony
Take a maximum of one egg per nest
No repeated visits in the same season
If the bird is active on the nest, consider leaving without gathering

Afterwards:

Fresh consumption — seabird eggs are a traditional food, often fried or boiled. The flavour is stronger than hen’s eggs.
Do not commercialise without specific agreements — egg gathering is for personal use.

For up-to-date rules and recommendations: contact your local municipality or a local branch of BirdLife Norge.

Ethics

Egg-gathering ethics are stricter than other forms of gathering because of the population problems:

Never gather from red-listed species — even if you think you can tell a herring gull from a black-legged kittiwake, be 100 per cent sure. If in doubt, do not gather.

Keep distance between visits — do not carry out repeated gathering in the same season even if the rules technically permit it.

Respect the colony — do not make unnecessary noise, keep the stay short.

Never take the whole clutch — even though it is technically permitted with one egg per nest, consider whether you actually need it.

Maintain local culture — do not share information about where gathering takes place publicly. Sharing on social media can increase pressure on vulnerable areas.

For more detail: gathering ethics goes through ethical perspectives more broadly.

Safety

Egg-gathering safety is about coastal access and handling the colony:

Boat safety — a lifejacket is mandatory on a boat under 8 m when under way. Check the weather before the outing; conditions at sea can change quickly.

Colony safety — bird cliffs have steep drops and a slippery surface. A classic fall risk. Use rubber-soled shoes with a good grip.

Seabird aggression — herring gulls and great black-backed gulls can be aggressive at the breeding site. A helmet is recommended at dense colonies.

Avoid fishing or gathering alone — go at least two together for coastal access.

Weather assessment — sea conditions in spring can be variable. Check the forecasts before the outing.

Sustainability and the future

Egg gathering in Norway is an activity under pressure — from both the regulatory side (stricter rules) and the population side (fewer birds). For anyone who wishes to preserve the tradition there are several routes:

Support local culture — the Vega World Heritage Centre and similar bodies carry out the dissemination of the tradition.

Become a member of BirdLife Norge — this contributes to the protection of seabird colonies.

Respect the regulation — even though the regulation is perceived as strict, it is built on a real population crisis.

Learn about seabird ecology — understand why the Norwegian seabird landscape is under pressure.

For anyone considering egg gathering as a new activity: check thoroughly whether you have local ties and legal access. For the great majority it is realistically not an activity to take up — but knowledge of the tradition is valuable all the same.

Next steps

If you have local ties and want to take up egg gathering: contact your local municipality for specific rules, apply for the landowner’s permission, and consider becoming a member of a local gathering group.

If you are interested in seabirds and coastal tradition but not in gathering yourself: visit the Vega World Heritage Centre, join the local activities of BirdLife Norge, or get to know bird-cliff areas through a guided tour.

For related forms of gathering: seaweed and sea plants is another coastal tradition, but with a considerably lower threshold for access.

For more context: gathering ethics goes through ethical questions that bear on egg gathering in particular.

Learn more

Text: Snuitide (2026).