During the 40th Annual Meeting of the Federation of European Aquaculture Producers, which was held in Gran Canaria, in the Canary Islands of Spain, the FEAP Award for Excellence in European Aquaculture, sponsored by Schering Plough Aquaculture, was presented to Mr Tore Håstein. 

Mr Tore Håstein is one of the first veterinarians in Europe to dedicate all his professional time to knowledge and prophylaxis of diseases in fish. Born in 1937, he has a PhD from University of Stirling. Through all his career fish and fish farming has been a core interest.

He was a seriously contributing pioneer both nationally and internationally, building scientific knowledge and contributing heavily to the development of fish farming.
He has always been and still is actively committed to discussing fish health issues with fish farmers, contributing to continuous improved standards in the industry.
As pioneer he often had to fight the barricades on behalf of the fish farming industry, both in pure scientific questions and to get the fish farming perspective into new regulations and governance.

Without his effort it is doubtful if the salmon farming industry and also European fish farming in general would have been where the industry is today, as a sunrise industry developing for the future.

Tore Håstein was the first leader of the special laboratory for fish diseases at the Veterinary Institute in Oslo (1967 – 1975). Veterinary inspector in fish diseases until 1985, and special veterinarian for fish diseases until 2000. Director for Division for fish- and shellfish health at the National Veterinary Institute until 2005. He is now senior adviser at the institute.

His list of publications covers more than 100 articles, in addition numerous popular articles describing complex fish health issues to the fish farmers.
Vice President of the Fish Disease Commission in World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) 1988-1991.
President in OIE from 1991 until 2003.
 As president in the Fish Disease Commission he was leading the development of international regulations as “International aquatic animal health code” and “Diagnostic Manual for Aquatic Animal Diseases”. These two books are well recognized and used as standard background for other national and international regulations.

For many years he contributed heavily to the development of fish health regulations in EU.
He has received the St.Olav medal from the King of Norway for his work.