The company

Ecocean innovates, restocks, and restores aquatic ecosystems, raises awareness about the challenges of their conservation and protection, and has thus established itself as a major driver of change in the rehabilitation of these fragile environments.

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Table of contents

Based in Montpellier (France), Ecocean is an ecological engineering firm dedicated to restoring aquatic biodiversity, particularly in port and urban environments.

For over 20 years, Ecocean has been developing and implementing innovative, scientifically validated solutions to enhance the ecological functions of artificial infrastructure, particularly at the interface between cities and ports and within urban biodiversity. 

Through the installation of nursery habitats (Biohut® (external link) range), restocking operations using wild-caught larvae (BioRestore (external link) solution) and floating solutions (floating ecosystem (external link)), the company provides operational solutions to port managers, local authorities, and developers, promoting the integration of biodiversity into their projects.

In addition to its ecological restoration efforts, Ecocean also offers awareness-raising actions (external link) (educational workshops, city-to-port educational trails) aimed at promoting environmental projects and fostering a better understanding of the challenges facing aquatic ecosystems.

With a presence in France and more than 20 other countries, Ecocean works on both existing infrastructure and new developments, and is constantly innovating to offer new solutions tailored to a variety of maritime and inland environments.  

Our Story

Ecocean was founded in 2003 in Montpellier. The company specializes in ecological engineering for aquatic ecosystems and develops innovative, scientifically validated solutions to improve the living conditions of young fish during the early stages of their life cycle.

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2003
Founding of Ecocean  

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2004

Development of the patented PCC (Post-larval Capture and Culture) technique in tropical environments (Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean) for the ornamental and food fish markets.

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2006
First post-larval fishing in the Mediterranean  

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2008 
Participation in a trade show at the UN in New York to showcase our PCC solutions

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2007
- First guide on the applications and prospects of collecting and rearing marine post-larvae (PCC) for the sustainable development and conservation of biodiversity in tropical and temperate marine ecosystems
- First round of fundraising (Mélies, Business Angels)  

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2010
First BioRestore project (fishing in Agde and aquaculture in Marseillan) with the first restocking efforts in the Mediterranean (Agde)

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2012
- First post-larvae aquaculture farm in the greater Marseille seaport area
- First post-larvae aquaculture project in the French Mediterranean region (SUBLIMO project)

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2013
Filing of the Biohut patent and initial deployment in six ports along the French Mediterranean coast

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2014
- First Biohut units installed overseas (Nador, Morocco, and Baltimore, USA)
- Second round of fundraising (Wiseed, crowdfunding)  

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2015
- 1,000th Biohut installed
- Publication of the first atlas of post-larval fish in the western Mediterranean, derived from PCC fisheries  

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2016
First Biohut units on an offshore platform (South Korea)

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2018
Installation of the first floating wetland (Serre-Ponçon Lake)

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2019
Launch of the first biodiversity observation buoy (BoB) off the coast of Leucate

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2021
- Establishment of the MIR Station (Marine Station for Innovation and Ecological Restoration)
- First coral farm (OP Coral)  

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2023
- Ecocean's 20th Anniversary
- Third funding round (Banque des Territoires in partnership with Sud Mer Invest)  

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2025
- Signing of an exclusive contract with Biomatrix (external link)
- First cable weights installed in an offshore wind farm in the Atlantic
- First Biohuts installed on an offshore wind turbine float (EFGL)

Ecocean today

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« When I look back on the journey we've taken since 1998, when I first began working on post-larvae in Polynesia, I realize just how much work we've accomplished and how powerful our collective vision is. Our commitments, choices, and innovations have led to concrete solutions for restoring aquatic environments.But the most important work is yet to come: with the entry into force of the European Nature Restoration Regulation, we must further scale up our efforts to widely deploy scientifically validated solutions and help repair, as much as possible, the human impacts on aquatic ecosystems. »

Gilles LecaillonCEO & Founder

Our key figures

  • 7000Biohut installed
  • 1700m² of floating wetlands
  • 40000fish released
  • 10000children educated

Discover our solutions

Discover our eco-friendly restoration solutions, awareness-raising initiatives, and scientific expertise.

  • Biohut®

    Biohut® is an artificial nursery designed to restore the ecological functions of developed areas.

  • BioRestore®

    The BioRestore® process is aimed at local authorities, industrial stakeholders and coastal planners engaged in the sustainable development of coastal areas: it is a tool to revitalize degraded …

  • Floating ecosystem

    A floating ecosystem that provides habitats conducive to terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity in urban areas.

  • Awareness actions

    Promote your ecological restoration efforts through communication tools and awareness-raising actions.

  • Diagnosis

    Thanks to our specialized facilities (an accredited MIR station), our technical expertise (certified personnel, trained biologists and ecologists), and our capacity for …