Sea Area Fair Isle

Engrained in the collective consciousness of the Fair Isle people is their connection to the sea that surrounds them. From fishing to crafts to a multi-decade quest for marine protection and management, there is much to the relationship between the island and its waters. Indeed, the community has for a very long time seen sustainable management measures for Fair Isle marine resources as the only way forward for their continued existence on the island - the only way in which these resources can be safeguarded for future generations.

Today, in 2023, we know that this foresight has eventually, albeit very gradually and with prodigious effort, bred a success story - a story of community perseverance and determination.

This booklet sets out the context and issues that make the Fair Isle case-study such a compelling one, and attempts to capture and convey what drives this community's determination to protect Fair Isle waters, through describing the area's character (Ebb & Flow); the community's motivation for action (Making Waves); and the specific means through which the people of the isle are achieving their ambitions to protect the waters around them (Turning The Tide).