Camilla Floros
Who I am
My connection to the ocean began early in life, when I spent long periods in the Bazaruto Archipelago in Mozambique. I was captivated by the richness of coral reefs and marine life, but I also witnessed how increasing fishing pressure and tourism were changing these ecosystems. These experiences shaped both my love for the ocean and an early understanding that healthy marine ecosystems are inseparable from the people who depend on them. This path led me to study marine biology, with a focus on understanding threats to coral reefs, including coral bleaching, and examining how effective marine protected areas are at safeguarding reef fish communities within South Africa’s iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
Over the past 15 years, my work has taken me across the Western Indian Ocean and beyond, combining scientific research with applied conservation. I spent a decade as a coral reef ecologist contributing to research that directly informed marine protection, before working with TRAFFIC International on efforts to reduce illegal and unsustainable wildlife trade across Africa and Asia. These experiences strengthened my understanding of how ecological decline, governance and human livelihoods are deeply interconnected.
Today, I lead Wild Impact’s Oceans Without Borders marine programme, which operates across two key seascapes: Zanzibar, Tanzania, and the Inhambane Seascape in Mozambique. Our approach is grounded in working alongside local communities to design conservation management solutions that support both marine life and livelihoods. I am driven by the belief that protecting the ocean is ultimately about protecting people too, and that lasting change comes from shared stewardship and sound science.
Where I work
In Zanzibar, Oceans Without Borders operates from Mnemba Island, which lies within the Mnemba Island Marine Conservation Area (MIMCA). Mnemba is surrounded by extensive fringing coral reefs, sea-grass beds and deeper reef drop-offs that support a wide range of marine life and underpin both local fisheries and marine tourism.
Although Mnemba Island has been formally protected for decades, limited enforcement and high human pressure have resulted in extensive reef degradation and the near-complete loss of sharks and other large reef predators. The area receives more than 100,000 visitors each year and is also an important fishing ground for nearby coastal communities, making it a complex and highly contested seascape.
Despite these pressures, Mnemba Island remains a place of exceptional ecological and socio-economic potential. Recent reductions in fishing and tourism pressure in small pilot protection zones have demonstrated how quickly reefs can begin to recover when given respite. These early signs of resilience make the MIMCA an ideal location to test and scale science-based management approaches such as fishery replenishment zones.
What I do
The Oceans Without Borders marine programme in the MIMCA works to restore degraded reef ecosystems while supporting the communities that depend on them. The programme brings together applied science, management and community partnerships to address the long-term decline of marine life in one of Zanzibar’s most important seascapes.
Our work in the MIMCA is guided by a strategy we call Restoring the Balance. This approach recognises that coral reefs function best when ecological roles are intact and human pressures are managed collaboratively. By focusing on the recovery of key species, improving habitat condition and strengthening governance, Restoring the Balance provides a practical framework for rebuilding reef resilience and fisheries productivity.
Within this strategy, our community and conservation rangers, who are recruited directly from local coastal communities, are leading the work to conserve marine life. These rangers play a central role in monitoring, collecting data and engaging with fishers and tourism operators, and are supported through ongoing training and mentorship to become long-term marine stewards and advocates for change.
A core focus of our work in the MIMCA is supporting the establishment of fishery replenishment zones under the guidance and directive of the Zanzibar Ministry of Fisheries and Blue Economy, with whom we have a long-standing relationship. Support from the Save Our Seas Foundation is enabling us to expand our baited remote underwater video system (BRUVS) work and thus move beyond limited pilot surveys to a more comprehensive and systematic assessment of fish and shark communities across the MIMCA. Thanks to the SOSF-funded stereo-BRUV surveys, we are now documenting species composition, size, biomass and ecological function across reefs, sea-grass beds and deeper reef drop-offs. This evidence will directly inform government-led planning for fishery replenishment zones, strengthen the scientific basis for protection and allow us to track ecological recovery over time, ensuring that fishery replenishment zones deliver tangible benefits for marine life, fisheries and the people who depend on healthy oceans.