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Jón Arnar Beck collecting seabird eggs. Skoruvíkurbjarg cliffs. Langanes Peninsula, Iceland. Jón candling a guillemot egg.
Fisherman Jón Arnar Beck is 38 years old and has been collecting seabird eggs for the past 8. Usually assisted by friend and fellow fisherman Sæmundur Einarsson, Jón may use modern safety harness and radio equipment but the method of collecting cliff-nesting seabird eggs hasn’t changed much in a thousand years. The harvesting of seabirds has been continuous Icelandic tradition since early settlement and is mentioned in Norse Sagas. Although no longer necessary for survival, cultural ties to the harvesting of seabirds are strong and vigorously defended.
The cliffs where Jón collects are divided into sectors which are allocated by the local authority in return for a number of eggs to be given to the community. Each sector is harvested 2 or 3 times as the eggs are laid before being left alone for the birds to hatch and raise the next clutch.
Fisherman Jón Arnar Beck is 38 years old and has been collecting seabird eggs for the past 8. Usually assisted by friend and fellow fisherman Sæmundur Einarsson, Jón may use modern safety harness and radio equipment but the method of collecting cliff-nesting seabird eggs hasn’t changed much in a thousand years. The harvesting of seabirds has been continuous Icelandic tradition since early settlement and is mentioned in Norse Sagas. Although no longer necessary for survival, cultural ties to the harvesting of seabirds are strong and vigorously defended.
The cliffs where Jón collects are divided into sectors which are allocated by the local authority in return for a number of eggs to be given to the community. Each sector is harvested 2 or 3 times as the eggs are laid before being left alone for the birds to hatch and raise the next clutch.
