The purpose of this Initiative is to establish the long term protection and sustainable management of the marine resources around Fair Isle, to the mutual benefit of the community of Fair Isle, users of the marine area and for the education and enjoyment of visitors.

Fair Isle's maritime environment is extremely rich, both at the natural environment and the human community level.  The two aspects are inextricably linked, and a threat to the first has serious implications for the second.  The Fair Isle community has witnessed an erosion of that richness and is concerned that, without concerted action now, the resource will be devalued or lost altogether.

FIMETI
        Project participants and supporters are:

Fair Isle,
                            the most southerly island of the Shetland group (the northernmost islands of the British Isles) lies approximately 25 kilometres south-south-west of Sumburgh Head at the southern end of the Shetland mainland, and approximately the same distance north-east of North Ronaldsay (the most northerly of the Orkney islands).

The present population, of what is one of Britain's most isolated inhabited island, is around 70. There are eighteen crofts ranging in size from 3 to 20 hectares. As well as traditional crofting activities islanders are involved in many other forms of remunerative activity.

The climate is oceanic in nature. In winter the weather is generally mild and often stormy. The summers are cool, damp and - at times - foggy and often breezy.

Throughout its recent history Fair Isle has always given a warm welcome to visitors mand to this end the island is well served with a modern ferry, based on the island and crewed by islanders. This, together with modern harbour facilities, means that - even in winter - the island is very rarely cut-off from the Shetland mainland for longer than a week to ten days.

There is also a regular air link to Shetland - more frequent in summer - operated by Loganair using eight-seat ‘Islander’ aircraft.

Contact Information

Telephone:  +44 (0)1595 760 224

FAX:  +44 (0)1595 760 252

 

Postal address:  Fair Isle, Shetland, ZE2 9JU

 

Electronic mail:
General Information: nick.riddiford@fairisle.org.uk
Webmaster: dave.wheeler@fairisle.org.uk

Send mail to dave.wheeler@fairisle.org.uk with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 1999 Fair Isle Marine, Environment & Tourism Initiative
Last modified: February 05, 2002