Founded in 2008 under the technical coordination of WWF France and with the support of 9 founding members, its gestation was long and goes back to the 1990s. Its headquarters are located in Marseille, France. It brings together 78 organizationsmanaging 110 marine protected areas in 21 countries, and leads a network of experts and scientists. It helps these countries and institutions to prepare and implement strategies for the protection of the sea.