Chief Research Scientist Ocean and Coastal Systems & Blue Economy Fisheries Biology & Ecology Population Dynamics • Fish Stock Assessment • Ichthyodiversity Location KMFRI Headquarters, Mombasa Joined KMFRI May 20, 2026 Research Interests Fisheries biology (Population Dynamics and Fish Stock Assessment); Fish ecology (Trophic Dynamics); Fish biology (Reproductive Biology; Fish Growth); Fish Taxonomy and systematics; Ichthyodiversity; Fisheries Management; Blue Economy | Research Focus: Advancing fisheries biology, fish ecology, and aquatic ecosystems conservation through research on population dynamics, fish stock assessment, invasion ecology, reproductive and trophic ecology, and fisheries governance. Dr. Dalmas O. Oyugi has joined KMFRI as a Chief Research Scientist (CRS), bringing with him a distinguished career in research, teaching, and conservation. He holds a PhD in Hydrobiology (Fisheries Biology) from the University of Nairobi, an MSc in Marine Ecology from the Free University of Brussels, and a BSc in Fisheries from Moi University. Prior to KMFRI, he lectured at Pwani University for over four years, specializing in Fisheries Biology, Marine Biology, and Aquatic Sciences, while supervising postgraduate research, serving on examination boards, and developing curricula. His prolific research record includes more than 21 peer-reviewed publications in international journals, covering fisheries biology, fish ecology, biodiversity, and aquatic ecosystems conservation. Since founding the Ichthyology Department at the National Museums of Kenya in 1997, Dr. Oyugi has advanced expertise in fish taxonomy, population dynamics, fish stock assessment, invasion ecology, reproductive and trophic ecology, and fisheries governance. His career spans institutions such as IUCN-EARO, Kenya Wildlife Service Training Institute, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, and the penultimate Pwani University, where he also contributed in securing grants for ocean accounting and coastal habitat conservation. He has contributed to regional capacity building through initiatives like the WIO African Coelacanth Ecosystem Programme, seaweed training manuals, and WWF ichthyodiversity reviews, while his work in Lake Naivasha earned him a FAO recognition for advancing food security. Beyond academia, Dr. Oyugi has served in public administration as an Authorized/Accounting Officer, honing skills in personnel administration, policy implementation, strategic planning, and budgeting and budget execution, while also engaging in community development through leadership in school and hospital boards. A committed mentor and team player, he continues to inspire through his dedication to science, conservation, and capacity building. Research & Administrative Responsibility
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Awards and Honours FAO jointly with the Ministry of Fisheries Development: Recognition for technical contribution towards sustainable utilization of Lake Naivasha Fisheries Resources Selected Publications Said TA, Oyugi DO, Fulanda BM (2025) Impacts of habitat protection on trophic ecology of white-spotted rabbitfish, Siganus sutor (Valenciennes 1835). Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science 24(2): 51-62. doi: 10.4314/wiojms.v24i2.6 Kinyua, D.N, Oyugi D.O, Kadagi N.I, Wamukota A, Sumalia R, and Ater S. (2025). A Supply Chain analysis of Artisanal Billfish Fishery along the Kenyan Coast. Journal of Marine Policy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2025.106762 Oyugi, D.O., K. M. Mavuti, P. A. Aloo, J. E. Ojuok & J. R. Britton. 2014. Fish habitat suitability and community structure in the equatorial Lake Naivasha, Kenya. Hydrobiologia 727:51-63. Aloo, P., D. O. Oyugi, G. N. Morara, & M.A. Owuor. 2013. Recent Changes in Fish Communities of the Equatorial Lake Naivasha, Kenya. International Journal of Fisheries and Aquaculture 76: 95-102. Oyugi, D.O., J. Cucherousset, & J.R. Britton. 2011. Temperature-dependent feeding interactions between two invasive fishes competing through interference and exploitation. Reviews in Fish Biology & Fisheries. DOI 10.1007/s11160-011-9243-5 Oyugi, D.O., J. Cucherousset, J.M. Ntiba, S.M. Kisia, D.M. Harper & J.R. Britton. 2011. Life history traits of an equatorial common carp Cyprinus carpio population in relation to thermal influences on invasive populations. Fisheries Research 110: 92-97. Oyugi, D.O., D.M. Harper, J.M. Ntiba, S.M. Kisia & J.R. Britton. 2011. Management Implications of the Response of Two Tilapiine Cichlids to Long-Term Changes in Lake Level, Allodiversity and Exploitation in an Equatorial Lake. AMBIO. Britton, J.R., Harper, D.M. Oyugi, D.O. & J. Grey. 2010. The introduced Micropterus salmoides in an equatorial lake: a paradoxical loser in an invasion meltdown scenario? Biological Invasions 12:3439-3448. Britton, J.R., Harper, D.M. & Oyugi, D.O. 2010. Is the fast growth of Micropterus salmoides in an equatorial lake explained by high water temperature? Evidence from a meta-analysis of growth parameters over their range. Ecology of Freshwater Fish 19: 228-238. De Vos, L. & Oyugi, D.O. 2002. First capture of a coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae Smith, 1939 (Pisces: Latimeriidae), off Kenya. South Africa Journal of Science, 98: 345-347. Links |
