Canada and Greenland share the same common eider population - the northern commoneider subspecies Somateria mollissima borealis.In both Canada and Greenland there hasbeen a growing concern that several decadesof intensive utilization, especially in Greenland, have caused the population to decline.Internationally a Circumpolar Eider Concervation Strategy and Action Plan has been completed, and in Greenland monitoring workhas been intensified to improve the management basis for this common eider population. This report presents the result from eiderground surveys conducted systematicallyalong the west coast of Greenland, coveringthe municipality of Ilulissat, Uummannaq,and Upernavik (69° 15’ N - 74° 05’ N). Thestudy has served the purpose of providing anup-to-date estimate of the total breeding population within this area, and to detect ifany major changes in breeding numbers haveoccurred at colonies for which comparablehistorical information exist. Ground surveyswere conducted in July during four breedingseasons (1998-2001), and breeding numberswere quantified by counting active nests.