Mohsen Rezaie-Atagholipour
Founder and Director, Qeshm Environmental Conservation Institute (QECI)
Born and raised in northeast Iran, Rezaie-Atagholipour spent his childhood exploring nature and reading about animals. Despite being far from the ocean, marine life fascinated him, and illustrated books about marine creatures fueled his imagination. The depictions of electric fish, whale sharks, mudskippers, and flying fish captivated him, sparking a lifelong dream to see these creatures in person.
At 18, he moved to the southern Iranian coast to pursue his dream of becoming a marine biologist. He earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in marine biology, initially focusing on marine reptiles. However, witnessing the capture and killing of sharks and rays by fishing nets shifted his focus to marine conservation. While he continues to cherish observing marine life through diving and beach walks, much of his fieldwork now involves working at fish landing sites and on fishing boats.
In 2018, he founded the Qeshm Environmental Conservation Institute (QECI), Iran’s first NGO focused on marine biodiversity. Currently, as a Ph.D. student in Environmental Biology at the University of Manchester, he researches how overfishing and climate change affect sharks and rays, the second most threatened vertebrate group after amphibians.
His journey from a child fascinated by marine life to a dedicated marine conservation scientist demonstrates his unwavering commitment to protecting the ocean’s biodiversity. His experiences and dedication position him as a strong advocate for marine conservation, bridging scientific research with practical, impactful initiatives to safeguard marine ecosystems and support coastal communities.
