Rashid Sumaila
Global Board Member and Professor, Interdisciplinary Ocean and Fisheries Economics, University of British Columbia
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Rashid Sumaila Rashid Sumaila is a TNC Global Board Member and Professor, Interdisciplinary Ocean and Fisheries Economics, University of British Columbia. © Courtesy/Rashid Sumaila
Areas of Expertise
Bioeconomics; Oceans and Fisheries Policy; Marine Ecosystem Valuation; High and Deep Seas Fisheries
Board Term
December 2025 – October 2035Biography
Rashid Sumaila is a University Killam Professor and Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Interdisciplinary Ocean and Fisheries Economics at the Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries, and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, University of British Columbia. His research focuses on bioeconomics, marine ecosystem valuation and the analysis of global issues such as fisheries subsidies, marine protected areas, illegal fishing, climate change, marine plastic pollution and oil spills.
Dr. Sumaila has experience working in fisheries and natural resource projects in Norway, Canada and the North Atlantic region, Namibia and the Southern African region, Ghana and the West African region, Brazil and South America, and Hong Kong and the South China Sea. He received his Ph.D. (Economics) from the University of Bergen and his B.Sc. (Quantity Surveying) from the Ahmadu Bello University.
Dr. Sumaila is widely published and cited, Clarivate has named him a “highly cited researcher” every year since 2021. He has earned numerous other awards and recognitions, including being honored with the 2023 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement, alongside marine biologist Dr. Daniel Pauly, for their efforts to ban high seas fishing and advance global marine conservation. Sumaila was named a 100 most influential African in 2023 by the New African Magazine.
Dr. Sumaila’s interest in the environment started early in life when his grandfather used to say people should “walk as if the ground feels pain.” He enjoys exploring novel ideas and mentoring future thinkers. He loves waking up each day thinking of how best to contribute to ensuring that we bequeath a healthy ocean to our children and grandchildren so they too can have the option to do the same.