Dr. Diop started his career in Mauritania West Africa as a research scientist working with both small scale and industrial fishermen. He surveyed these segments of the economy and drafted policy recommendations that were used by the Government to better the livelihoods of those communities.  Dr Diop was a recipient of the African Graduate Fellowship (AFGRAD) in 1991-1992 and subsequently of the Thomas Jefferson Fellowship in 1993-1994 to further his education at Louisiana State University where he earned his first Master Degree in agricultural economics. Dr Diop was also a recipient in 1995-1999 of a graduate research assistantship from Louisiana State University which allowed him to complete another master degree in the area of economics and his doctorate degree in agricultural economics. After graduation, Dr Diop joined the Louisiana Coastal Fisheries Institute (LSU) as a research associate and then the Louisiana Sea Grant College Program as a Research Faculty. Dr. Diop moved into teaching at Southern University in Louisiana. Dr Diop has been a recipient of many grants and his research has been published widely in many scientific journals. He is currently heading the Department of Research and Information System at the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission. He is overseeing programs on institutional building, fisherman migration, marine protected areas as fisheries management tools, co-management and information systems. Dr. Diop was a recipient of many grants and is well published.