Community, Economy and Transport
The 2001 Census showed that Scilly had a population of 2,153. Incomes are significantly lower than national and regional averages, and a lot of jobs are low-paid, part-time and seasonal. Add this to high property prices - driven in part by high levels of second home ownership and an influx of retired people - and it's easy to see why many young people move to the mainland for affordable housing and better career prospects. Second homes account for 23% of housing stock.
Scilly's three main economic activities are tourism, early flowers/market gardening and fishing.
Tourism dominates the local economy; it centres in particular on the natural environment (walking and bird-watching, for example, as well as fishing trips, flora and fauna nature trips, underwater safaris, windsurfing and other water sports).
Around 90,000-100,000 visitors come to Scilly each year. Tourism is Scilly's biggest business and it contributes to the islands' character. Such numbers and such dependence mean sustainability is absolutely vital to the developement of tourism.
The Islands' tradition of flower and bulb growing remains important but is in relative decline. Grazing has declined significantly during the 20th century, exacerbated by the closure of the islands' dairy and abattoir. In 2005, however, the Wildlife Trust introduced conservation grazing to the Islands’ heathlands, and the possibility of an abattoir is currently under consideration. The Scilly fishing fleet consists of around 32 local boats. Their catches include lobster, crawfish and crabs, as well as hake, turbot, sole, plaice, megrim, whiting and monkfish. Most fish is sold to Newlyn markets, but a small quantity is sold locally.
Between late March and the end of October, the ferry sails six days a week between Penzance and St. Mary’s. Plane connections run regularly from Lands End, Newquay, Exeter and Bristol. There are Helicopter flights from Penzance to St Mary's year round, with a service also to Tresco in the high season.
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