My name is Nici and I am a founder member of The Ropes of Hope and a PhD student in the Environmental Biochemistry group at the Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) at Oldenburg University. My research focuses on coral reefs in the Mafia Island Marine Park, Tanzania, where I investigate how destructive fishing practices and reef restoration efforts influence biodiversity in both healthy and impacted reef sites. A central aspect of my work is the development and validation of innovative, non-invasive monitoring approaches, combining environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding with modern visual survey techniques to improve biodiversity assessment and support effective management of marine protected areas. My PhD project is conducted in close collaboration with The Ropes of Hope and the Mafia Island Marine Park. Together, we also conduct experiments to test and compare different restoration methods to improve restoration outcomes.