The focus of the village is the harbour, which is home to small fishing boats as well as large deep sea trawlers.

[citation needed] Symbister estate's fishing tenure under his lease was still run in a primitive form even in the 1860s, as William Stewart testified before a Royal Commission in 1872.

Since the 1960s, Symbister House has been used as Whalsay Junior High School, providing education to students of age 4–16.

Ghost stories are also narrated about this place, including that of an old sailor who was murdered for arguing with the gardener of the house during a game of cards.

[7] Symbister is a sheltered harbour and is busy with small fishing boats and recreational craft plying alongside large ocean-going trawlers.

Apart from ferry services, Symbister is also accessible by road from Whalsay airstrip, located in the island at its northeastern end at Skaw.

Many migrants birds, like wheatear, meadow pipit, snow bunting and buff breasted sandpiper have been sighted.