Our know-how – your best means of expression

Innovating for and at the service of shellfish farming

Established since it was founded on the island of Noirmoutier, Marinove is a player in the local economy which promotes French and Vendée know-how in the selection of shellfish worldwide. This role as first link gives us the responsibility to succeed for the success of our clients, to innovate, to advise and to assist professionals in their breeding. We place our clients and nursery partners at the heart of each of our considerations.

A Beaulieu Family business

Marinove was founded in 2006 from the passion of a big name in fishing and fish trading, who wanted to put their know-how as a fish hatcher at the service of shellfish farming, an emblematic profession of their native island. The 2016 meeting with the Beaulieu Family, shellfish farmers for 4 generations – and the shared path that followed – continued to strengthen the DNA of the first link in the service of shellfish farming professionals of Marinove. We wish to be a player in the daily lives of producers, listening to them, helping them to obtain qualitative and quantitative results that meet their requirements.

For Marinove, working with a family whose profession has been shellfish farming for several generations is the guarantee of having a spontaneous and practical outlook on the profession. With our clients we share human work, an artisanal vision of the product based on high standards, and a taste for effort. This is what allows us to respond to the challenges of today and tomorrow for our shellfish farming clients.

Fabrice Massi, Associate Director – Zootechnics and selection specialist & Guillaume Beaulieu, Beaulieu Family Manager

The history of oyster farming at Marinove

Antiquity

Beginning of the consumption of oysters by the Romans. Endemic flat oysters (Ostrea edulis) are collected and sent back to the Mediterranean and then the Atlantic coast; these are the beginnings of oyster farming. Natural deposits were exploited in this way until the Renaissance period.

17th century

Appearance of the first oyster farms on the Atlantic coast. Oyster spat are collected from rocks or by dredging from natural deposits, before relaying and growing.

19th century

Overexploited, most French natural deposits are subject to bans on exploitation. Birth of modern oyster farming by collecting spat on submerged wooden stakes.

1866

Caught in a storm, “the Morlaisien” releases its cargo of Portuguese oysters (Crassostrea angulata) in the Gironde estuary. Carried by the current, the spat spreads to the south of Vendée.

1920s

The domestic flat oyster is hit by a devastating disease, which spares Portuguese oysters. Introduction of Portuguese oysters in breeding ponds.

1960s

Portuguese oysters make up 80% of production.

1970s

An epizootic causes Portuguese oysters to disappear from French coasts, while flat oysters are also affected by diseases. Introduction of the Japanese hollow oyster (Crassostrea gigas), native to the Pacific.

1972

Creation of the first oyster hatchery in Europe. The selection of broodstock promotes consistency of supply all year round, in both quality and quantity.

1987

France Turbot is created to develop turbot aquaculture. The company builds on its experience in reproduction and selection to diversify into the oyster spat hatchery in 2006, and is one of the main French oyster hatcheries in 2014.

2015

The hatchery activity of France Turbot becomes Marinove.

2016

Marinove joins the Beaulieu Family.