Whalsay is know as the "Bonnie Isle." It has pleasant green pastures but farming is not the main industry. Fishing takes that honour. The main catch is lobsters, prawns, and white fish. The area has been safe from large infringement from outside fisherman since the catch is mainly in the sandbanks and crevices fo the rocks.
Whalsay is a principal centre of the Shetland fishing industry and the long fishing tradition is one of the themes of the Hanseatic Booth at Symbister, which tells the story of Shetland's links with the Hanseatic League. This house on the island of Whalsay was where Hugh MacDiarmid, arguably the greatest Scottish poet of his generation, lived from 1935 to 1942.
The population is about 1,000, and the main settlement is Symbister with its harbour sheltering the island's renowned modern fishing fleet including seven super trawlers owned by the island fishermen. The Whalsay Fish Processors Ltd are previous winners of the Queen's Award for export achievement.
The island has been involved in the knitting industry and they have their own design.
The Whalsay Golf Club, situated at Skaw at the North East point of the island, is 6009 yards, par 70, and standard scratch 70. The course is open all year round and is said to be outstanding.
The best site to get an all round picture of the island is the Shetland Times site.
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