Since 1986 the number of Epinephelus marginatus observations along the French coast of the northwestern Mediterranean Sea has steadily increased. Observations collected in this study suggest a possible regular recruitment each year since 1996 along French coasts. Although this recruitment takes place in shallow water areas, small groupers (TL ≤ 40 cm) have been observed deeper. These observations allow us to propose an age-size relationship for the youngest groupers: 1 month old - 2/3 cm TL; 10 months - 5/7 cm; 1 year - 10 cm. Conclusions obtained from this study agree with previous parasitic and genetic studies and confirm the double way of arrival of groupers along the French coast: from Tunisia on the eastern part and from Morocco on the western part. Other factors that could be responsible for the present breeding and recruitment patterns include: a modification of the sex-ratio that now favours females, the partial protection of the species against spear fishing through a moratorium since 1993 (i.e., 10 years), and the recent warming of the Mediterranean. Due to the life-span of the species E. marginatus (more than 30 years) and the age of sex change (between 10 and 15 years old), recent increase of young groupers abundance has still few effect at a population level. Thus supporting the moratorium seems necessary to sustain a well balanced grouper population in the future.