Daniel Pauly
Tyler Prize Laureate 2023
Revealing the invisible crisis beneath the waves
Quick Facts
Born: May 2, 1946, Paris, France
Affiliation at the time of the award: University of British Columbia
Environmental achievement: Recognized for his critical contributions to fisheries ecology and conservation through the development of new ecosystem-based analytical approaches to assess global effects on world fisheries, and for helping the public visualize the decline of global fish stocks through The Sea Around Us and Fishbase.
Meet the Scientist Who Changed How We See the Ocean
A Legacy of Global Impact
For decades, Dr. Daniel Pauly has been a leading voice exposing the silent collapse of global fisheries — and has given us the tools to confront it.
A 2023 Tyler Prize Laureate, Pauly is the most-cited fisheries scientist in the world and a pioneer in making marine science accessible to decision-makers and the public alike. He coined the influential concept of “shifting baselines” — showing how each generation redefines what’s “normal” in nature, forgetting just how much we’ve lost.
Through his visionary projects — including FishBase, the world’s largest encyclopedia of fish species, and The Sea Around Us, which maps global fishing trends — Pauly has revealed the full scale of overfishing and pushed for bold policy reforms, including a ban on high seas fishing.
Dr. Pauly’s influence reaches far beyond the lab. His research and activism have shaped fisheries policies across multiple continents and institutions — always with a sharp focus on ocean justice and the rights of future generations to a thriving marine environment.
From exposing underreported catches to advocating for marine protected areas, Pauly has remained an unwavering voice for science-based, ecosystem-level solutions.
Honoring a Life of Ocean Advocacy
In April 2023, the Tyler Prize community honored Daniel Pauly alongside fellow Laureate Rashid Sumaila at a series of events at the University of Southern California — including a Laureate Conversation, intergenerational panel, and award celebration.
