Principal Investigator, Fisheries
Ecotrust Canada
Dr. Dyhia Belhabib is an expert on fisheries, maritime crime, and socially just conservation and enforcement. She is currently a Principal Investigator at Ecotrust Canada, working on illegal fishing where she founded Spyglass, the most comprehensive criminal record of fishing vessels in the world. She is also an Executive Director at Bel Investigations where she works on creating responsible solutions for crime-free supply chains.
Dyhia has developed a comprehensive curriculum on enhancing fair and effective enforcement at sea for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, and works on building capacity in multiple jurisdictions around the world. Her research has investigated the links between conservation and illegal practices, industrial fisheries and artisanal fishing, and between development and governance in the sector. She has also advocated for decolonization and greater equity in ocean science, conservation, and development.
She is a leading expert on West African fisheries, with extensive knowledge of the region’s marine ecosystems and the challenges facing small-scale fishers. Her research has focused on the intersection of social justice, environmental sustainability, and economic development in the context of West African fisheries. She has collaborated with local communities and organizations to advocate for responsible fishing practices and build capacity in marine conservation and enforcement. Her deep knowledge of the region’s fisheries has helped her to identify the specific challenges facing small-scale fishers, such as access to credit, infrastructure, and market opportunities.
She is a TED speaker and serial TEDx speaker. Her work has been featured on the New York Times, The Guardian, Al Jazeera, CBC news, LePoint.fr, and a multitude of other news outlets. She is also a multiple times TED Speaker talking about decolonizing science, the conservation narrative, and how tech can advance safer and more sustainable oceans.
Dyhia obtained a PhD in Resource Management and Environmental Studies from the University of British Columbia in 2014 and has authored over 110 peer reviewed articles, book chapters, and reports.