Karim obtained a PhD in Biological Oceanography in 1990 from the University of Rhode Island. Since then, he has been working at the University of the Algarve where he coordinates the IMBRSea . He is currently the head of one of the three thematic research lines of the Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR): Ocean Management and Conservation (www.ccmar.ualg.pt/en/page/ocean-management-and-conservation) and is also the group leader of the Fisheries, Biodiversity and Conservation (FBC) group of CCMAR (www.ccmar.ualg.pt/en/group/fisheries-biodiversity-and-conservation).  His research focuses on small-scale fisheries, recreational fisheries, fisheries ecology, population dynamics, stock assessment, gear selectivity, conservation and management. He has coordinated 8 international and 3 national projects and participated in 42 others. He has published more than 180 papers in peer review international journals and 14 book chapters and books. He has supervised 25 PhD and more than 70 MSc students.