Fly Fishing on the Faroe Islands

First things first:
 The freshwater fauna of the Faroe Islands is not as diverse as you might expect. There are no members of the carp family or species such as smelt, perch, pike or other non-predatory fish. The only natives here are the brown trout, the Arctic char in limited numbers, and the three- spined stickleback and the nine-spined stickleback in a few lakes.
 In some waters that are connected to the sea one comes across eels as well as the salmon and the sea trout. Because heavy rain falling on the riverbeds drains away so quickly, fishing activity is concentrated exclusively on the lakes. These lakes are of profound interest not just to fishermen but also represent an important object of study for biologists. Because Faroese waters are right on the boundary between the Arctic and Europe, you might expect a rich variety of different species and organisms. The opposite is actually the case. These waters are oligotrophic, meaning that they are habitats with low nutrient values and only a few life forms. In the isolation of the Atlantic, an ecosystem that is unique to these islands has developed and has survived almost without any external influence such as natural immigration, introduction or stocking. As a result, the Faroese inland waters are still “virginal”, so to speak. Its species are genetically pristine and of a purity that is rarely encountered these days. Faroese lakes differ greatly in terms of food supply, size and fish density, as well as in terms of the size of the brown trout, which grow particularly slowly on the Faroe Islands. As a sign of trust in fishermen, one still has great freedom on the lakes and you don’t need a license to fish, although every lake is privately owned.
 Nature reveals its most beautiful aspect to you here – and this should be conserved. Respect the country; it’s a privilege to be here. Don’t press down any fences and above all else, observe the practice of catch and release if the lake appears to be a little “empty”.