The ECOGOV approach revealed that there are ideological choices behind the ecosystem approach. This stands by contrast to mainstream system approaches which tend to consider that the ecosystem approach is inherently transformative and escapes ideological debates. There is uptake of the ecosystem approach in New Aquitaine, but whether it has become a dominant way of governing differs between ecosystems. Many problems facing marine and estuarine ecosystems are currently governed by ecosystem approaches. However, planted forest sustainability problems are not (yet) governed in this way, although their current governing practices are challenged by actors supporting ecosystem approaches when faced with risks. Despite these differences by ecosystem, our results further revealed a similarity which was unexpected. When ecosystem approaches were found, these were predominantly institutionalised versions of efficiency ecosystem management approaches - and this was the case in respect of all three marine, estuarine and planted forest ecosystems.