David Benhaim

I am a behaviour specialist and Professor in the Department of Aquatic and Fish Biology at the University of Iceland at Hólar since 2017. I hold a PhD from the University of La Rochelle, France, focused on behavioural adaptation in teleost fishes. Before joining the University of Iceland at Hólar in 2017, I was a lecturer and researcher in Aquaculture at Cnam-INTECHMER in Cherbourg, France, from 2001 to 2017. During this period, my research focused on fish behaviour in aquaculture systems and the effects of environmental disturbances and farming conditions on fish performance, adaptation, and welfare. My current research focuses on understanding how behavioural responses, including swimming activity, feeding behaviour, personality traits, and cognitive abilities, are shaped by biotic and abiotic factors. I use this approach in a variety of ecological, evolutionary, and applied contexts through collaborations with researchers from diverse disciplines. In the context of aquaculture, I study behaviour, personality, and cognition as indicators of fish welfare, aiming to support sustainable production practices. In collaboration with evolutionary ecologists, I investigate how ecological and evolutionary processes shape fish behaviour and how behavioural mechanisms may contribute to the generation and maintenance of biodiversity. I am an active member of the Nordic Network on Fish Welfare. I also serve on the editorial board of Environmental Biology of Fishes.