Daniel is a Sri Lankan marine biologist and the co-founder of Blue Resources Trust; a marine research and conservation organisation, where he leads the Fisheries and Policy Programme. In addition to establishing and leading several research projects, he has been serving as an expert advisor for elasmobranch policy at multilateral environmental agreements such as CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and CMS (The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals) for over a decade, helping bridge the gap between science and policy and advancing a shift toward sustainable fisheries. He has served as a ministerial advisor, is currently the Vice Chair of the Sessional Committee to the CMS Scientific Council, Regional Co-Vice Chair of the IUCN SSC (Species Survival Commission) Shark Specialist Group for the Indian Ocean, and a New England Aquarium MCAF (Marine Conservation Action Fund) Fellow.
