Selvaer

Selvær (66.585°N x 12.229°E) is a small cluster of islands, housing a small fishing village of 50 inhabitants, in the north east part of Træna municipality in Nordland. It’s one of the most remote places off the coast of Helgeland, 33 km from the nearest mainland and slightly above the Arctic Circle.

Selvær consists of several hundred islets and islands, but only three are inhabited by people and connected by roads. These house one of the largest colonies of common eider in Nordland, 200-300 pairs that can be found breeding in small man-made shelters in an area of around 0,4 km2.

Selvær is not protected under any specific law nor is it a part of a protected area although several important nature types can be found in the archipelago. Several bird species can be found breeding there in addition to the common eider, e.g. greylag goose, black guillemot, black-legged kittiwake, herring gull, great black-backed gull, common snipe, house sparrow, thrushes, warblers and more. In May, every year, thousands of barnacle geese spend a month fuelling up at Selvær before heading to Svalbard.

Selvær became a SEATRACK locality in 2016.