THE ISLAND
Hitra is located in Trøndelag County at the exit of the Trondheim fjord.
Hitra is the largest island in Norway south of Lofoten.
687 km2 land area, of which 571 km2 is the main island.
710-km2- sea area, 1514 km coastline
3200 islands, islets and skerries
The island has been continuously inhabited since the Stone Age.
Area figures will be changed from 1.1.20 when parts of Snillfjord Municipality will be incorporated into Hitra Municipality (see the map, the part that lies on the “land side” before entering the Hitra tunnel).
Per 2018 4650 inhabitants. More than 25 % of them have an immigrant background (labor migration tied to aquaculture). More than 70 nationalities are represented.
Hitra is connected to the neighboring island Frøya with an underground tunnel. It takes 30 minutes to drive from one municipality center to the other. Frøya has almost 5000 inhabitants. Many of them have immigrant background as well.
THE LARGEST INDUSTRIES
Aquaculture and companies supplying to aquaculture
Construction, installation, development
Commerce and service
Tourism and production of local food and drink
THE VISITORS
2300 holiday houses and cabins
The most popular holiday destination on the coast of Trøndelag.
THE PRODUCE
Nationally and internationally known for first class quality.
THE SALMON Hitra, the cradle of salmon farming
Once upon a time, there were two brothers who had a good idea. They were the first in the world to take up Atlantic salmon farming just off the coast of Hitra. In 1971, brothers Ove and Sivert Grøntvedt placed 20 000 salmon smolts in what would become the first salmon farm in the world. Almost 50 years later, Frøya and Hitra are the world’s largest sites for salmon farming. Today, this island region produces 260 000 tons of salmon per year.
Mowi and Lerøy are among the world’s largest, most lucrative and innovative companies in the field of salmon farming and manufacturing, and sustainable development.
THE CRAB Europe’s most modern crab factory
For delicious crab recipes go to krabbe.no. (Text only in Norwegian, unfortunately.)
The origins of HitraMat AS can be traced back to Ansnes, an old trade center where fish and other goods have been sold since the 18th century. Square-sailed boats with salted fish, dried fish and stockfish left Ansnes and returned with goods that the coast people lacked. Sivert Fjeldvær arrived here in 1905. This man from Fjellværøya island ran a fish reception center and a fish store. Later, Anton Fjeldvær began to buy crabs, cook them and sell them to buyers from Trondheim. Here, all food was hand made. «Hitra food on all the plates» was his slogan. Since the early 1990s, the tasty edible crab from the Trøndelag coast has become the company’s key product. In 2002, the company moved to a new, hip location at Hitra Fiskerihavn. This is currently Europe’s most modern edible crab factory.
DEER AND OLD NORSE SHEEP The largest deer population in Northern Europe
Hitra has the largest deer population in Northern Europe. Between 500 and 1000 deer are harvested each year. In addition, the Dalpro company invests in deer and Old Norse sheep farming. Dalpro Gårdsmat use their own livestock for their food production and wild deer and Old Norse sheep purchased in the region. The meat comes from Frøya and Hitra and is made on the premises of the local nature. Old Norse sheep and deer graze on heath, herbs, grass, juniper, leaves and seaweed all year long. The life in the free, the climate and the vegetation of the island bring a unique taste of wild nature.
Pre-booked deer feeding is available for groups and individual visitors on selected days during the summer.
FARM STORE more information at www.dalpro.no
THE CHEESE Delicious cheese from happy animals
The farmers at Hitra Gårdsmat are genuinely interested in livestock farming. They go to great lengths to make sure that their animals are well. They are proud of their profession and wish to be good role models by showing that it is possible to provide farm animals with good living conditions through simple solutions and effort. Their cheeses win top awards in the region, in Norway and internationally.