Le Paysan Marin promotes, supports, develops and finances regenerative marine farms

The Marine Farmer: Cultivating the Sea Through 'Aqua-ecology'

FRANCE
Wednesday, January 07, 2026, 09:00 (GMT + 9)

Innovative association revitalizes abandoned salt marshes and coastal wetlands to combat climate change

Tristan Macquet and Benjamin Denjean, two environmental science engineers who first met 15 years ago in Beijing, are spearheading a blue revolution from the Island of Oléron in France. Their organization, Le Paysan Marin (The Marine Farmer), aims to pioneer a concept they call "aqua-ecology"—applying the sustainable principles of agro-ecology to marine environments.

Tristan Macquet and Benjamin Denjean. Photo: © Le Paysan Marin/FIS

A New Vision for Abandoned Coastlines

The project was born following the Covid-19 pandemic when Macquet settled on Oléron, an island in the Charente-Maritime department. He observed a growing crisis: a generation of aging oyster farmers and salt workers are retiring with no one to take over their concessions. This has left vast areas of claires (oyster ponds) and salt marshes neglected.

According to reports from Sud Ouest and regional maritime bulletins, Le Paysan Marin acts as a strategic bridge. They connect these retiring veterans with a new generation of entrepreneurs who lack the space to test innovative business models.

Photo: © Le Paysan Marin

Key Pillars of the Project:

• Restorative Aquaculture: Utilizing "engineer" flat oysters to naturally reinforce shorelines and limit coastal erosion.

• Diversification: Moving beyond traditional oyster farming to include seaweed cultivation and halophytic plants (salt-tolerant greenery), drawing inspiration from systems observed during their travels in Asia.

• The Digital Hub: Creating a global digital platform to connect producers and researchers. As the founders note, a solution for French aquaculture might already exist with a clam hatchery in Portugal.

  

  Photo: © Le Paysan Marin

Adapting to a Changing Climate

The association is not merely focused on production; it serves as a consultancy for local authorities facing the realities of rising sea levels. By 2026, many coastal communities in Nouvelle-Aquitaine face significant threats to their coastlines. Le Paysan Marin helps these territories reimagine their economic future, shifting from a defensive stance against the ocean to one of collaborative production.

Through their Proof of Concept (PoC) approach, Macquet and Denjean are transforming the "pessimism" of climate change into an opportunity for "the activities and productions of tomorrow."

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