Fly Fishing on the Faroe Islands

As with the human population, a distinction can also be made in the animal kingdom between those who have always been on the Faroe Islands, those who settled there later (or were brought there) and those who pop by every once in a while. Technically speaking, animals are the real native inhabitants of the islands. Those travelling by ferry encounter their first species on board the Norröna. The smyril – or merlin, a bird of prey – is emblazoned on the ship’s enormous chimney. Like some other birds, such as the oystercatcher or some types of starlings, it leads a quiet life due to the fact that it’s not to be found on the plates of humans. Its close relatives the puffin and the fulmar, likewise native inhabitants of the islands, glance enviously at the merlin from the cooking pot. That countless populations of seabirds can occasionally be observed here is due to the fact that the Faroe Islands serve as a stopping point on their migration routes and as nesting grounds for many species. Interestingly, the animal population usually associated with the Faroe Islands (sheep, ponies and freshwater fish such as the brown trout) were first introduced and cultivated by man. The same is true of rats, mice and wasps, all of which knew how to make the best use of the advantages of modern shipping.