This data was acquired at the Cascais monitoring site, which is a station of the time-series CASCAIS-WATCH, the oceanographic observation programme of the Oceanography and Plankton Group of the Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera (IPMA). The station is located off Cascais Bay, outside the Tagus River estuary at 38°40’N 09°26W, in a water depth of around 38m. Zooplankton samples are collected from 30m to the surface on a monthly basis with a WP2 net (50cm diameter, 200μm mesh).

<p>Data is from an oceanographic survey performed from 10 to 18 August of 2010 off the South coast of Portugal. The sampling area was along the coast off Guadiana estuary to Cape S. Vicente between the longitudes 7º 30.0'; W and 8º 59.6'; W and between the 30 m isobath and 36º 30.0'; N. Plankton stations were performed using a Longhurst Hardy Plankton Recorder (LHPR) sampler and Bongo nets. The LHPR was used in 16 stations to collect information on the water column distribution of the species. It was towed at 4 knots on oblique hauls from the surface to near the seabed or around 400 m at the deeper stations. Samples were collected at 25 m depth intervals. Mesh aperture of the collecting net and filtering gauze for all the hauls was 280 µm. A Bongo net with 60 cm diameter aperture and a mesh size of 335 µm was used in all the other stations.</p>

The present phytoplankton dataset was obtained during three surveys, CECIR, aboard the N.R.P. “Almeida Carvalho from “Instituto Hidrográfico”, as part of the project “Bases para o estudo da variabilidade do recrutamento da sardinha na costa portuguesa”. The campaigns took place from August 87 to December 89.

The present phytoplankton dataset was obtained during seven surveys aboard the R/V Noruega from IPIMAR, as part of the project “Dinâmica do Fitoplâncton tóxico na costa portuguesa”. The campaigns took place from July 89 to March 95.

The present phytoplankton dataset was obtained during a seasonal sampling cycle conducted over five surveys named CICLOS I to IV and AREAS aboard the R/V Noruega from IPIMAR, as part of the project “Ciclos de produção planctónicos na costa portuguesa e sua relação com os recursos pesqueiros”. The campaigns took place from August 85 to April 87.

<p>Hydrographic Institute campaigns in collaboration with the Marine Biology Station (predecessor of INIP, IPIMAR, and IPMA) of the CAPEC program (1970s).</p>

The “Ciclos de Produção Planctónica e Sua Relação com os Recursos Pesqueiros” project aims to describe the dynamics of planktonic communities associated with the coastal upwelling system in Portugal. This description is important for understanding the bio-oceanographic processes that condition posture, growth and survival in pre-recruitment phases, as well as patterns of abundance, distribution and migration of fishery resources, in particular small pelagic species. In addition to this goal, project also aims to determine the areas, seasons and the laying intensity of these species.

Zooplankton was sampled in four radials, with three coverings in radial 1 with a two-day interval and just one covering in radials 2, 3, and 4. The current study was based on samples conducted aboard the NRP "Almeida Carvalho" during cruise CECIR XIV from the 3rd to the 9th of May 1988 in the coastal area between Porto and Figueira da Foz. The samples were collected using a WP2 plankton net. The trawls were conducted in a vertical direction at a speed of 1 m/s, stratified between the depth levels of 0-20 m, 20-60 m, and 60-150 m, resulting in a total of 99 zooplankton harvests.

The objective of this data collection was to collect plankton samples to allow the analysis of the spatial and temporal distribution of decapod larvae in the water column in the south and southwestern Portuguese coast and to assess its correlations with environmental parameters.