The ferry service brings around 1700 to the island each year, whilst total annual visitor numbers are thought to be around 5000 once those visiting on private and commercial boats are included.

The main focus of settlement on Noss was around the low lying west side of the island at Gungstie (Old Norse: a landing place).

Another settlement at Setter, on the south east of the island was inhabited until the 1870s and now lies derelict.

[15] The sandstone cliffs of Noss have weathered into a series of horizontal ledges making ideal breeding grounds for gannets, puffins, guillemots, shags, black-legged kittiwakes, razorbills, northern fulmars and great skuas.

Four new species have begun to breed here (gannet, fulmar, great skua and storm petrel), however a further six species that were formerly recorded (lesser black-backed gull, common gull, tree sparrow, Eurasian whimbrel, peregrine falcon and white-tailed eagle) no longer breed at Noss.

In total ten species of cetacean have been seen in the seas off Noss, of which the most commonly recorded is the harbour porpoise.