  Melrakkaey Location in Iceland | |
| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Breiðafjörður Bay |
| Coordinates | 64°59′06″N 23°18′10″W / 64.984886°N 23.302746°W |
| Area | 0.73 km2 (0.28 sq mi) |
| Administration | |
Iceland | |
| Constituency | Northwest |
| Region | Western Region |
| Municipality |  Grundarfjörður |
Melrakkaey (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈmɛlˌrahkaˌeiː]; lit. Fox Island) is a small, uninhabited island located in the Grundarfjörður municipality in Western Iceland.
The island has been declared a protected area. Consequently, entering the island without permission or hunting within a 2 km radius of the island is prohibited.
History
Throughout its history, Melrakkaey has been used as a source of food by locals.[1] The ocean surrounding the island provided fish and fishing outposts were built on the island, many bird species call the basalt cliffs of Melrakkaey home, providing a stable source of meat and eggs. Furthermore, the Island was used as a larder by locals.
Melrakkaey was a possession of the Setberg since the 14th century. Setberg came into the ownership of Melrakkaey when a local elderly woman lost her two sons at sea and pledged the island to the church.
The reverends of Setberg used the island to farm hay every summer and a house was built on the island to accommodate workers.
Due to the island being a possession of Setberg, Danish sailors called the island "The Reverend’s Island".[2]
In 1971, Malrakkaey became a protected area to protect the bird population on the island.[3]
References
- ^ "Information about Melrakkaey". guidetoiceland.is.
- ^ "MELRAKKAEY". nat.is.
- ^ "Melrakkaey". ust.is.
Sources
- "MELRAKKAEY". nat.is. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
- "Melrakkaey". ust.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved July 28, 2020.
- "Information about Melrakkaey". guidetoiceland.is. Retrieved July 28, 2020.
