What Association Oceania Moorea does

Association Oceania (Association Oceania Moorea) is a French Polynesian non-profit association founded in 2017 and headquartered in Moorea (Tiahura), with a secondary training office at Résidence Océane. It is the only organization operating under a direct agreement with DIREN (Direction de l'Environnement) for whale protection across the Polynesian sanctuary, and it functions as the primary cetacean conservation body in the territory. Its work spans four interlocking lines: scientific research and monitoring (Ocean Watch 2024-2027, Hono Tai 2025, Paruru 2021-2023, Vigie Sanctuaire 2019-2023, Fa'aora 2019-2021, and the emerging Ocean IA 2025-2026 initiative); a citizen-science observer network powered by the OBSenMER mobile application and Happywhale photo-identification integration, which has catalogued 1,222 individual humpback whales; an educational pillar anchored by the DGEE-approved OMM Kids program operating in French Polynesia (Tahiti, Moorea, Hao) and mainland France/Saint-Martin; and operational services including Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) coverage on the Tahiti-Moorea ferry route (1,017 collisions potentially avoided), stranding response coordination via the Réseau des Gardiens de l'Océan, and free SEFI-recognized training courses ('Aruru for ages 18-25 and Tamaumau cetology).

Its core technology stack is built around two integrated platforms: the OBSenMER collaborative observation application (iOS/Android with offline GPS-enabled data entry across marine mammals, turtles, fish, birds, and human activity) and the Happywhale fluke-matching system, which together produce a longitudinal photo-identification dataset unique to the Polynesian sanctuary. The association also operates the RGO stranding response network and integrates with Sender.net for newsletter communications.

The business model is that of a French association loi 1901 financed through four streams: annual individual membership fees via Assoconnect, charitable donations processed through HelloAsso, fee-for-service eco-volunteer mission revenues from 8-day AVA expeditions (capped at 4 participants per mission plus one sponsored young Polynesian, currently paused for 2025 with resumption planned for 2026), and corporate sponsorships plus institutional grants (Lovea/La Phocéenne Cosmétique as a core funder for OMM Kids, with additional support from OFB, Fonds Vert, DGEE, and SEFI). The educational offering is delivered free to schools, while MMO services for vessels are provided as a regulated public-interest function rather than a priced commercial service.

Name

Association Oceania Moorea

Legal name

Association Oceania

Website

https://asso-oceania.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Association Oceania is a French Polynesian non-profit, founded in 2017 and based in Moorea, that protects whales and dolphins through citizen-science monitoring, school education, and marine-mammal-observer training across the Polynesian sanctuary.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Marine Conservation Services

akta.pro primary industry

Marine & Freshwater Conservation (BPAGAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI), Marine Conservation & Citizen-Science Experiences (reef monitoring, turtle walks) (THAAAIAH), Whale Watching & Marine Mammal Tours (THAAAIAC), Marine Wildlife & Coastal Nature Tours (Whale/Dolphin Watching, Sea Kayaking) (THAAAEAD)

Keywords

• Marine conservation
• Whale protection
• Citizen science
• Environmental education
• Cetacean monitoring

Headquarters

HQ city

Moorea

HQ country

French Polynesia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership fees charged to individuals joining the Oceania community, providing access to the network of people working for cetacean preservation in French Polynesia.
2. Donations: Direct charitable donations collected via HelloAsso platform for supporting conservation, research, and education activities.
3. Eco-Volunteer Mission Fees: Fees for participation in 8-day eco-volunteering missions tracking humpback whales in the Polynesian sanctuary, limited to 4 participants per mission plus one sponsored young Polynesian.
4. Corporate Sponsorships and Grants: Funding from corporate sponsors like Lovea (La Phocéenne Cosmétique) for specific programs such as OMM Kids educational initiative, and institutional funding for conservation projects.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Association Oceania Moorea studies and protects whales and dolphins in French Polynesia through a citizen science observer network, Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) services for vessel operators, eco-volunteer field missions, school educational programs, accredited professional training courses, cetacean stranding response, and multi-year research projects. The organization, established in 2017 in Moorea, operates with 15 employees and is accredited to deliver BAPA and BPA professional certifications.

Product overview

Association Oceania is a non-profit organization (association loi 1901) dedicated to studying and protecting whales and dolphins in French Polynesia since 2017. The organization operates through a multi-layered approach combining citizen science programs, professional services, educational initiatives, and conservation research projects. Its core offerings include the Observer Network Program (using OBSenMER and Happywhale platforms), Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) services for vessel collision prevention, eco-volunteering missions (AVA), and formal training programs ('Aruru and Tamaumau). Educational activities center on the OMM Kids program for schools and general public workshops. The organization also manages stranding response through the Res eau des Gardiens de l'Ocean network. Research is conducted through multiple multi-year projects including Ocean Watch 2024-2027, Hono Tai 2025, Paruru 2021-2023, and others.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OMM Kids Educational Program School-based educational program teaching children from kindergarten through high school about marine mammals and ocean conservation in French Polynesia, delivered as an Education Nationale partner.
• AVA Eco-Volunteering Missions Field missions in French Polynesia where individuals participate in cetacean monitoring and data collection activities alongside the association's research teams.
• Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) Services Professional observation services provided to vessel operators to help them comply with French regulation (Décret n° 2014-341) by minimizing collision risks with marine mammals during operations.
• Citizen Science Observer Network Volunteer-based observation network across French Polynesia for documenting sightings of whales and dolphins using the OBSenMER mobile application.
• 'Aruru Training Course Training program preparing individuals for careers in the marine mammal observation field, supporting BAPA and BPA professional certification pathways.
• Tamaumau Training Course Training program focused on cetacean stranding response and intervention procedures for trainees in French Polynesia.
• Cetacean Stranding Response Emergency intervention services for stranded marine mammals in French Polynesia, supported by Tamaumau trained responders.
• French Polynesia Educational Kit Educational kit produced by the association to support schools, partners, and other organizations in delivering marine conservation messaging locally.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,017 vessel collisions potentially avoided through MMO protocols
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Lovea (La Phocéenne Cosmétique)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-standing funding partner enabling OMM Kids program development in schools across French Polynesia and mainland France. Lovea's employees provide valuable relay in France for nationwide program rollout. Brand actively supports environmental education through cosmetic company initiative.
• OBSenMERcoreTechnology or IntegrationCollaborative platform facilitating recording and analysis of marine observations including cetaceans, sea turtles, fish, birds, and human activities. Covers both participatory science data and expert protocol data, serving both general public and professional naturalist organizations.
• HappywhalecoreTechnology or IntegrationWhale identification platform enabling submission of fluke photographs for individual whale cataloguing. Happywhale team determines best images for identification, supporting longitudinal tracking of whale populations in Polynesian sanctuary.
• DIREN (Direction de l'Environnement)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment environmental authority in French Polynesia. Oceania operates under agreement with DIREN for whale protection work. DIREN also manages the Réseau des Gardiens de l'Océan (RGO) for stranding response coordination.
• Label Bleu ProductionminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAdventure travel and diving organization referenced in eco-volunteer mission information, suggesting partnership for mission organization and logistics.
• DGEE (Direction Générale de l'Enseignement Élémentaire)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational authority providing official approval (No. 38443) for OMM Kids program, enabling integration with National Education curriculum in French Polynesia and France.
• OFB (Office Français de la Biodiversité)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerFrench biodiversity agency shown as program supporter in OMM Kids materials, contributing to environmental education initiative.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• OBSenMER: Collaborative citizen-science marine observation platform used by Oceania. Provides the technical infrastructure for Oceania's observer network and is directly comparable as a methodology and platform peer in marine citizen science.
• Happywhale: Whale photo-identification platform with which Oceania has a direct technology integration. Operates a similar citizen-science data model across global populations of whales, making it a technology and methodology peer.
• Marine Stewardship Council: International non-profit setting standards for sustainable fishing and seafood traceability. Indirectly comparable as a marine conservation NGO that engages with French Polynesian fisheries policy and ecosystem management.

Broad incumbents

• WWF France: Major international conservation NGO with French operations, including marine programs covering cetaceans and Mediterranean ecosystems. Comparable as a large-scale conservation NGO with education programs and government partnerships, though much broader in scope.
• Sea Shepherd France: Established international marine conservation organization with French operations. Broader mission spanning multiple marine species and enforcement activities, but shares Oceania's citizen-engagement and educational outreach model.

Direct peers

• Pacific Whale Foundation: Non-profit marine conservation and research organization operating in the Pacific (Hawaii-based with operations across the South Pacific). Conducts whale research, eco-volunteer programs, and educational outreach — directly comparable mission, eco-volunteer business model, and Pacific-region focus.
• Observatoire Pelagis: French cetacean monitoring observatory affiliated with CNRS and La Rochelle Université. Operates the national stranding network for France and conducts population monitoring of marine mammals — directly comparable methodology (photo-identification, citizen science, stranding response) to Oceania's programs.
• Te Mana O Te Moana: Polynesian non-profit focused on marine conservation in French Polynesia, particularly sea turtle protection and coral reef ecosystems. Shares Oceania's non-profit conservation mandate, French Polynesian footprint, and educational outreach model.
• WDC (Whale and Dolphin Conservation): International non-profit dedicated exclusively to the protection of whales and dolphins. Operates education, advocacy, and citizen science programs globally. Directly comparable as a cetacean-specialist NGO with education, advocacy, and research programs.
• CRIOBE (Centre de Recherches Insulaires et Observatoire de l'Environnement): Marine research laboratory also based in Moorea, French Polynesia. Operates as a CNRS/EPHE research station focused on coral reef and pelagic ecosystems in French Polynesia, including cetacean research, making it the closest geographic and thematic peer to Oceania.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@oceaniaNGO
• Facebookfacebook.com/OceaniaAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-oceania-moorea
• Instagraminstagram.com/asso_oceania

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Association Oceania Moorea