The ROEC project (high frequency observation network for the coastal environment) is a regional offshoot of an observation network that aims to provide continuous high frequency monitoring of the environmental state of water masses through different physical, hydrological, biogeochemical and biological parameters. In general terms, the establishment of a coherent observation and long term or even ongoing monitoring network should allow the following aspects to be evaluated:

• the evolution and variability of currents, tides, turbidity and hydrological structure in coastal areas (temperature and salinity),
• changes in the type and availability of nutrients (related to biology) and variations in the associated primary production,
• the evolution of the food chain structure in response to previous conditions, for instance the size structure of plankton communities, which influence matter recycling in the water column and transfers to higher trophic levels (fish).

SISMER is involved in the in situ observation component of this project (Coriolis).