IFREMER

French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea

Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer (French)
Ifremer centre in Plouzané
Agency overview
Formed	1984
Preceding agencies	CNEXO: Centre National pour l'Exploitation des Océans (French for 'National Centre for the Exploitation of the Oceans') Institut Scientifique et Technique des Pêches Maritimes (French for 'Scientific and technical institute for marine fisheries')
Headquarters	Brest, France
Employees	1,593
Annual budget	213 million euros
Agency executive	François Houllier, Président directeur général (CEO)
Website	https://www.ifremer.fr/

The Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (French for 'French Research Institute for Exploitation of the Sea') or Ifremer is an oceanographic institution in France. A state-run and funded scientific organization, it is France's national integrated marine science research institute. Ifremer operates a number of research vessels and other vehicles, including the ROV Victor 6000 and the crewed submersible Nautile.

Scope of works

Ifremer focuses its research activities in the following areas:

• Monitoring, use and enhancement of coastal seas
• Monitoring and optimization of aquaculture production
• Fishery resources
• Exploration and exploitation of the oceans and their biodiversity
• Circulation and marine ecosystems, mechanisms, trends and forecasting
• Engineering of major facilities in the service of oceanography
• Knowledge transfer and innovation in its fields of its activities

In other words, Ifremer's purpose is to:

"Conduct research, innovate, and provide expertise to protect and restore the ocean, sustainably manage marine resources and ecosystems, and share marine data."

History

• In 1985, Ifremer partnered with Dr. Robert Ballard for an ultimately successful expedition to locate the wreck of the RMS Titanic.^{[citation needed]}

• In 1994 Ifremer assisted in the salvage of the cargo from the SS John Barry.^{[citation needed]}

• In 2008, Ifremer partnered with Dr. Bruce Shillito for the testing and initial operations of the PERISCOP, a deep sea fish recovery device.

• In 2023, Ifremer sent the Atalante ship and the Victor 6000 ROV to the rescue operation of the Titan submersible.

Centres

Ifremer is located at 26 sites, including five main centres (Boulogne, Brest, Nantes, Toulon, and Tahiti), with headquarters at Brest. About twenty research departments are associated to these centres.^{[citation needed]}

Gallery

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  Pourquoi pas ?
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  Thalassa
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  The Atalante in Tahiti
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  L'Europe, in the Mediterranean, 2012
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  Le Suroît near Concarneau
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  Cyana
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  Pourquoi pas ? and Thalassa in Brest harbor