Coastal Surveillance Through Observation of Ocean Color (COASTlOOC) oceanographic expeditions were conducted in 1997 and 1998 to examine the relationship between the optical properties of seawater and related biological and chemical properties across the coastal-to-open ocean gradient in various European seas. A total of 379 stations were visited along the coasts of the Gulf of Lion in the Mediterranean Sea (n = 61), Adriatic Sea (n = 39), Baltic Sea (n = 57), North Sea (n = 99), English Channel (n = 85) and Atlantic Ocean (n = 38). Particular emphasis was dedicated to the collection of a comprehensive set of apparent (AOPs) and inherent (IOPs) optical properties to support the development of ocean color remote sensing algorithms. The data were collected in situ using traditional ship-based sampling, but also from a helicopter, which is a very efficient means for that type of coastal sampling. The dataset collected during the COASTlOOC campaigns is unique in that it is fully consistent in terms of operators, protocols, and instrumentation. This rich and historical dataset is still today frequently requested and used by other researchers. Therefore, we present the result of an effort to compile and standardize a dataset which will facilitate its use in future development and evaluation of new bio-optical models adapted for optically-complex waters. 

The ARCHYD dataset, which have been collected since 1988, represents the longest long-term hydrologic data sets in Arcachon Bay. The objectives of this monitoring programme are to assess the influence of oceanic and continental inputs on the water quality of the bay and their implications on biological processes. It also aims to estimate the effectiveness of management policies in the bay by providing information on trends and/or shifts in pressure, state, and impact variables. Sampling is carried on stations spread across the entire bay, but since 1988, the number and location of stations have changed slightly to better take into account the gradient of ocean and continental inputs. In 2005, the ARCHYD network was reduced to 8 stations that are still sampled by Ifremer to date. All the stations are sampled at a weekly frequency, at midday, alternately around the low spring tide and the high neap tide. Data are complementary to REPHY dataset. Physico-chemical measures include temperature, salinity, turbidity, suspended matters (organic, mineral), dissolved oxygen and dissolved inorganic nutrients (ammonium, nitrite+nitrate, phosphate, silicate). Biological measures include pigment proxies of phytoplankton biomass and state (chlorophyll a and phaeopigment).