Location
The NAFC Marine Centre is located in Scalloway, Shetland, lying at the hub of the major North Atlantic trading routes.
Shetland has a rugged natural beauty, a unique cultural identity and fantastic wildlife; there are around 100 isles in the group, with a total area of around 567 square miles, around 900 miles of coastline, and a population of about 23,000. Situated approximately 100 miles north of the Scottish mainland, there are regular ferry services to Aberdeen and Bergen in Norway, and good air links with mainland UK.
Shetland is quite different from the rest of Britain, and even from the rest of Scotland - it has a distinctive landscape, a wealth of sea birds and other wildlife, its own dialect, it's own culture and a relatively prosperous economy.
For more information on Shetland take a look at the Shetland Islands Tourism website.
Scalloway
Scalloway is the second largest centre of population in Shetland, with a population of just over 1000. The town has a fine natural harbour, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by a string of beautiful islands to the south and west.
Transport links to the main town of Lerwick are well provided in Scalloway. The village of Scalloway has a medical centre, post office, hairdressers, museum, marina, school, swimming pool, pubs, a hotel, a restaurant, cafe & takeaway and a few shops.
The fishing industry remains of vital importance to Scalloway, which is now the location of one of Shetland's two fish markets. Salmon and high value shellfish processing now provide the main employment in the village. In recent years the harbour has been extensively redeveloped and expanded with excellent facilities for fishing and commercial vessels. The fishing tradition made it an obvious choice when the Shetland Island's Council were deciding where to site a new fisheries college. An ideal location was found on the site of a 19th century herring processing station at Port Arthur, near the mouth of the harbour, and the NAFC Marine Centre was opened in 1992, providing a further boost to Scalloway's economy.