Austevoll

File:Northern Austevoll.JPG

File:Sildajento.JPG

The municipality of Austevoll was established on 1 January 1886 when it was separated from the municipality of Sund. The initial population for the new municipality of Austevoll was 2,396.

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the southern part of the islands of Selbjørn and Huftarøy (population: 696) was transferred from Fitjar Municipality to Austevoll. This put the whole Austevoll archipelago in the municipality of Austevoll.{{Cite book |last=Jukvam |first=Dag |url=http://www.ssb.no/emner/00/90/rapp_9913/rapp_9913.pdf |title=Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |year=1999 |isbn=9788253746845 |language=no}}

The municipality (originally the parish) is named after the old Austevoll farm ({{langx|non|Austrvǫllr}}) since the first Austevoll Church was built there. The farm is now part of the village of Austevollshella. The first element is {{wikt-lang|non|austr}} which means "east". The last element is {{wikt-lang|non|vǫllr}} which means "meadow" or "field". The municipality has changed the spelling of its name three times.{{Cite book |last=Rygh |first=Oluf |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ud5LAQAAIAAJ |title=Norske gaardnavne: Søndre Bergenhus amt |date=1910 |publisher=W. C. Fabritius & sønners bogtrikkeri |edition=11 |location=Kristiania, Norge |pages=251–252 |language=no |authorlink=Oluf Rygh}} Historically, the name of the municipality was spelled Østervold or Østevold. In 1889, the spelling was changed to Austevold. On 3 November 1917, a royal resolution changed the spelling of the name of the municipality to Austevoll.{{Cite journal |year=1917 |title=Norsk Lovtidende. 2den Afdeling. 1917. Samling af Love, Resolutioner m.m |url=https://www.nb.no/items/URN:NBN:no-nb_digitidsskrift_2015102381014_001 |journal=Norsk Lovtidend |language=no |location=Kristiania, Norge |publisher=Grøndahl og Søns Boktrykkeri |pages=1057–1065}}

The coat of arms was granted on 30 November 1984. The official blazon is "Azure, four herrings argent in bend 1-2-1" ({{langx|no|På blå bunn fire kvite silder på skrå oppover, 1-2-1}}). This means the arms have a blue field (background) and the charge is a set of four herring swimming diagonally up to the left. The charg has a tincture of argent which means it is commonly colored white, but if it is made out of metal, then silver is used. The shoal of herring was chosen for the arms since herring fishing is a very important part of the local economy. The arms were designed by John Digernes. The municipal flag has the same design as the coat of arms.{{Cite web |title=Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen |url=https://www.heraldry-wiki.com/heraldrywiki/index.php?title=Austevoll |access-date=2023-05-22 |publisher=Heraldry of the World}}{{Cite web |title=Austevoll, Hordaland (Norway) |url=https://www.crwflags.com/fotw/flags/no-12-44.html |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=Flags of the World}}{{Cite web |date=1984-11-30 |title=Godkjenning av våpen og flagg |url=https://lovdata.no/dokument/LF/forskrift/1984-11-30-1933 |access-date=2023-05-22 |website=Lovdata.no |publisher=Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet |language=no}}

The Church of Norway has one parish ({{lang|no|sokn}}) within the municipality of Austevoll. It is part of the Fana prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Bjørgvin.

Austevoll consists of 667 islands off the west coast of Western Norway. The municipality has a total land area of {{convert|114.23|km2}} and a coastline of {{convert|337|km}}. It lies south of the Korsfjorden, west of the Bjørnafjorden, and north of the Selbjørnsfjorden.{{Cite web |last=Statistics Norway |author-link=Statistics Norway |year=2006 |title=Tall om Austevoll kommune |url=http://www.ssb.no/kommuner/hoyre_side.cgi?region=1244 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060909153313/http://www.ssb.no/kommuner/hoyre_side.cgi?region=1244 |archive-date=9 September 2006 |language=no}} The highest point in Austevoll is the mountain Loddo, reaching {{convert|244|m}} above sea level. The Marstein Lighthouse lies in the northwestern part of the municipality.

1. Huftarøy
2. Selbjørn
3. Hundvåko
4. Stolmen
5. Storekalsøy
6. Møkster

The island municipality shares water borders with the municipality of Øygarden to the north, Bergen and Bjørnafjorden municipalities to the northeast, Tysnes municipality to the east, and Fitjar and Bømlo municipalities to the south. The North Sea lies to the west of Austevoll.

{{Historical populations

|align = right

|direction = vertical

|percentages = pagr

|footnote = Note: The municipal borders were changed in 1964, causing a significant change in the population.

|source = Statistics Norway{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |title=Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/06913/ |language=Norwegian}}{{Cite web |last=Statistisk sentralbyrå |author-link=Statistics Norway |title=Folketellingen 1960 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/folketellinger/kommunehefter/1960/kh_1960_1244.pdf |language=Norwegian}} and Norwegian Historical Data Centre{{Cite web |last=Universitetet i Tromsø – Norges arktiske universitet |author-link=University of Tromsø |title=Censuses in the Norwegian Historical Data Archive (NHDC) |url=https://rhd.uit.no/folketellinger/reg_komm_e.html}}

|1886|2396

|1891|2332

|1900|2536

|1910|2554

|1920|2760

|1930|2928

|1946|3272

|1951|3231

|1960|3413

|1970|3957

|1980|3893

|1990|4200

|2000|4406

|2010|4571

|2020|5236

|2023|5297

}}

Of the 667 islands, only eight are populated year-round. About 29% of the inhabitants live in densely populated areas. About 28% of the inhabitants are under the age of 17, which is 4.4% over the national average. About 4.7% of the inhabitants are 80 years or older.

File:Bekkjarviksundet.JPG|Bekkjarviksundet, between Selbjørn and Huftarøy.

File:Marstein lighthouse.JPG|Marstein Lighthouse

File:Stolmasundet.JPG|Stolmasundet, between Stolmen and Selbjørn.

File:Olav fra Austevold kirke.jpg|Olaf II of Norway from Austevoll Church

Fishing is the most important industry in Austevoll, as it has been for centuries. Traditionally, fishing has taken place in coastal areas, not far off shore. After decades of overfishing, the herring disappeared in the 1950s. This forced a restructuring of the fishing fleet. Since the 1960s, the shipping companies built bigger ships, and went further out into the seas, and they began fishing for other fish species, not just herring. The overfishing of herring also forced better research on fishing, resulting in the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research. Austevoll is the home of the Austevoll Aquaculture Research Station.

Since the early 1980s, the offshore supply industry has emerged in the wake of the offshore Norwegian oil industry. The offshore shipping company DOF, which is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange, has its headquarters at Storebø.

There are five primary schools and one middle school in Austevoll, all run by the municipality. There is also one secondary school, teaching mainly fishing and nautical subjects. This is operated by the Hordaland County Municipality.

Austevoll has car ferry connections from Hufthammar on the north tip of Huftarøy to Krokeide in Bergen, and from Husavik on the south tip of Huftarøy to Sandvikvåg in Fitjar. The municipality is also connected by express boats to Bergen in the north, and Stord, Haugesund, and Stavanger in the south. All express boat routes are operated by Norled, and ferry routes are operated by Fosen Namsos.

The islands of Huftarøy and Selbjørn, Selbjørn and Stolmen, and Hundvåkøy and Storekalsøy are connected with bridges. A fourth bridge, connecting Huftarøy and Hundvåkøy, was opened on 17 November 2007. This bridge, which in fact consists of two bridges and two stone fillings, bears the name "Austevollsbrua".

Austevoll Municipality is responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of directly elected representatives. The mayor is indirectly elected by a vote of the municipal council.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=kommunestyre |encyclopedia=Store norske leksikon |publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget |url=https://snl.no/kommunestyre |date=2022-09-20 |editor-last=Hansen |editor-first=Tore |language=Norwegian |editor2-last=Vabo |editor2-first=Signy Irene |accessdate=2022-10-14}} The municipality is under the jurisdiction of the Hordaland District Court and the Gulating Court of Appeal.

The municipal council ({{lang|no|Kommunestyre}}) of Austevoll is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to four year terms.

From 1995 to 1999 the Socialist Left Party held one seat. In the 1999–2003 election period an all-party female electoral list held one seat in the council. In the 2003-2007 election period The Liberal Party was represented in the municipal council and held one seat. From 2011 to 2015, a coalition of the Progress Party and Center Party held power in the council. The coalition also consisted of the Christian Democratic Party before 2011. In 2011, the coalition won 12 of the 21 seats in the municipal council and had an electoral and political cooperation. The Conservative Party, Labour Party, and Christian Democratic Party make up the opposition.

The tables below show the current and historical composition of the council by political party.

{{div col}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 2023

|end = 2027

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2023 - Vestland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2023/ko/vestland/austevoll#seats |access-date=2024-01-21 |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}

|collapsed =

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 2

|Fremskrittspartiet = 8

|Grønne = 1

|Høyre = 7

|INP = 2

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 2019

|end = 2023

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2019 – Vestland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2019/ko/vestland/austevoll#seats |access-date=2020-02-05 |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 4

|Fremskrittspartiet = 5

|Grønne = 1

|Høyre = 8

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 2015

|end = 2019

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M) |url=https://www.ssb.no/en/statbank/table/04813/ |publisher=Statistics Norway |language=no}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 5

|Fremskrittspartiet = 5

|Høyre = 8

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|Senterpartiet = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 2011

|end = 2015

|reference = {{Cite web |title=Kommunestyrevalg 2011 – Hordaland |url=https://valgresultat.no/valg/2011/ko/hordaland/austevoll#seats |access-date=2020-02-02 |publisher=Valgdirektoratet}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 2

|Fremskrittspartiet = 10

|Høyre = 6

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 1

|Senterpartiet = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 2007

|end = 2011

|reference =

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 21

|Arbeiderpartiet = 3

|Fremskrittspartiet = 9

|Høyre = 5

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 2

|Senterpartiet = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 2003

|end = 2007

|reference =

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 4

|Fremskrittspartiet = 9

|Høyre = 7

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 3

|Senterpartiet = 3

|Venstre = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 1999

|end = 2003

|reference =

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 4

|Fremskrittspartiet = 4

|Høyre = 10

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 5

|Senterpartiet = 3

|otherparty = Austevoll List

|otherparty_no = Austevolllista

|otherparty_number = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 1995

|end = 1999

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1996 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1995 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c342.pdf |access-date=2020-02-20 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 5

|Høyre = 9

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 7

|Senterpartiet = 5

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 1991

|end = 1995

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1993 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1991 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_c057.pdf |access-date=2020-02-20 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 3

|Fremskrittspartiet = 1

|Høyre = 11

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 6

|Senterpartiet = 4

|Sosialistisk_Venstreparti = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 1987

|end = 1991

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1988 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1987 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b765.pdf |access-date=2020-02-20 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 7

|Høyre = 10

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 7

|Senterpartiet = 3

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 1983

|end = 1987

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1984 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1983 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b450.pdf |access-date=2020-02-20 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo-Kongsvinger}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 5

|Høyre = 9

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 8

|Senterpartiet = 4

|Venstre = 1

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 1979

|end = 1983

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1979 |title=Kommunestyrevalget 1979 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_b093.pdf |access-date=2020-02-20 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 4

|DLF = 1

|Høyre = 9

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 7

|Senterpartiet = 6

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 1975

|end = 1979

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1977 |title=Kommunevalgene 1975 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a769.pdf |access-date=2020-05-10 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 4

|DLF = 1

|Høyre = 3

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 8

|Senterpartiet = 4

|otherparty = Selbjørn common list

|otherparty_no = Selbjørn Fellesliste

|otherparty_number = 5

|otherparty1 = Non-party local list for Storekalsøy

|otherparty_no1 = Upolitisk Bygdeliste for Storeka1søy

|otherparty_number1 = 2

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 1971

|end = 1975

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1973 |title=Kommunevalgene 1972 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a457.pdf |access-date=2020-05-10 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 27

|Arbeiderpartiet = 5

|Høyre = 1

|Kristelig_Folkeparti = 5

|Senterpartiet = 2

|Venstre = 2

|Local_Lists = 12

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 1967

|end = 1971

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1967 |title=Kommunevalgene 1967 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_a214.pdf |access-date=2020-05-10 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo |volume=I}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 27

|Local_Lists = 27

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|start = 1963

|end = 1967

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1964 |title=Kommunevalgene 1963 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_138.pdf |access-date=2020-05-10 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 27

|Local_Lists = 27

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|herad = yes

|start = 1959

|end = 1963

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1960 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1959 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xii_022.pdf |access-date=2020-05-10 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 23

|Local_Lists = 23

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|herad = yes

|start = 1955

|end = 1959

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1957 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1955 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_252.pdf |access-date=2020-05-10 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 23

|Local_Lists = 23

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|herad = yes

|start = 1951

|end = 1955

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1952 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1951 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_xi_120.pdf |access-date=2020-05-10 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 16

|Local_Lists = 16

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|herad = yes

|start = 1947

|end = 1951

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1948 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1947 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_165.pdf |access-date=2020-05-10 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 16

|Local_Lists = 16

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|herad = yes

|start = 1945

|end = 1947

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1947 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1945 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_x_133.pdf |access-date=2020-05-10 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 16

|AFS = 3

|Local_Lists = 13

|}}

{{Kommunestyre table

|name = Austevoll

|herad = yes

|start = 1937

|end = 1941*

|reference = {{Cite web |date=1938 |title=Kommunevalgene og Ordførervalgene 1937 |url=https://www.ssb.no/a/histstat/nos/nos_ix_133.pdf |access-date=2020-05-10 |publisher=Statistisk sentralbyrå |language=no |location=Oslo}}

|collapsed = yes

|nynorsk = yes

|Total = 16

|Borgerlige_Felleslister = 1

|Arbeiderpartiet = 5

|Local_Lists = 10

|}}

{{div col end}}

The mayors ({{langx|nn|ordførar}}) of Austevoll:{{Cite web |title=Former mayors of Austevoll municipality |url=http://www.austevoll.kommune.no/tidlegare-ordfoerarar.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724180427/http://www.austevoll.kommune.no/tidlegare-ordfoerarar.html |archive-date=24 July 2011 |language=no}}{{Cite web |title=Fattigstyret i Møkster sokn |url=http://lokalhistorie.austevoll.kommune.no/ARTIKLAR/Sosiale/1814-1905/fattigstyretimoekstersokn.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003094731/http://lokalhistorie.austevoll.kommune.no/ARTIKLAR/Sosiale/1814-1905/fattigstyretimoekstersokn.htm |archive-date=3 October 2011 |language=no |df=dmy}}

File:Helge André Njåstad (crop).jpg

• Abelone Møgster, (Norwegian Wiki) (1883 in Austevoll – 1975), a merchant and Norwegian resistance fighter
• Magnus Stangeland (born 1941 in Austevoll), a politician, mayor of Austevoll, and entrepreneur
• Knut Fagerbakke (born 1952), a Norwegian politician who was Deputy Mayor of Trondheim
• Ole Rasmus Møgster (1958 – 2010), a Norwegian businessperson with Austevoll Seafood
• Jan Bertin Østervold, (Norwegian Wiki) (born 1966 in Skien) known as Jan Thomas, a stylist and actor
• Claus Lundekvam (born 1973), a former footballer with 410 club caps and 40 for Norway
• Helge André Njåstad (born 1980), a Norwegian politician who was mayor of Austevoll from 2003 to 2013

• Ole Olsen Østervold (1872–1936)
• Halvor Olai Møgster (1875–1950)
• Jan Olsen Østervold (1876–1945)
• Henrik Østervold (1878 in Austevoll – 1957)
• Kristian Olsen Østervold (1885–1960)
• Rasmus Ingvald Birkeland (1888–1972)
• Halvor Olai Birkeland (1894–1971)

{{See also|Sailing_at_the_1920_Summer_Olympics#Medal_summary}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category|Austevoll}}

• {{wiktionary-inline|Austevoll}}
• {{Wikivoyage inline|Hordaland}}
• {{Wikivoyage inline|Austevoll}}
• [http://ssb.no/kommunefakta/austevoll Municipal fact sheet] from Statistics Norway {{in lang|no}}
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBLY4G3F4fE The gavl-boat "Notmann" sailing under the Selbjørn bridge]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kx_PDwqrGSY 3-mountain hike in Austevoll in 10 minutes]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0pQiHXIVEE Kayaking in Austevoll]
• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAeDMpd7c4o Diving in Austevoll]
• AustevollGuide – TourInfo – http://www.austevollguide.no

{{Vestland}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Municipalities of Vestland

Category:1886 establishments in Norway

Category:Fishing communities in Norway