The six ambitions of MARBEC 2021-2025 are designed to respond to the major international priorities defined within the Aichi Targets of the Convention for Biological Diversity, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (in particular SDG 14 on aquatic life) and the major European research challenges. All of the UMR's scientists have participated in the development of the six ambitions and their challenges in a co-construction process.

Each ambition includes challenges that integrate the three pillars of the UMR's "raison d'être": the development of new knowledge, the training of young scientists, the support for public policies and innovation in relation to society.

The six research ambitions of the UMR MARBEC are: