This document is the sixth version of a manual elaborated in the frame of an international project to harmonise sampling of demersal resources in the Mediterranean Sea, through the MEDITS trawl survey. It is the reference document for research institutes contributing to the MEDITS surveys on the continental shelves and slopes in the Mediterranean (Fig. 1), for the 2012 surveys and onwards. The manual describes the sampling gear characteristics, the sampling methodology and the processing of samples. Finally, it gives the specifications of the data files for data storage and exchange. This manual includes amendments and improvements to the MEDITS protocol as agreed by the MEDITS Co-ordination Committee up to the 2012 annual meeting. Considering the need for progress towards new objectives (e.g common data-base) and amendments to be considered after the trial stage of this new protocol, updates to this manual will be carried out as necessary. At the MEDITS coordination meeting in Ljubljana (Slovenia, 6-8 March 2012), it was also decided to further progress in the harmonization of the the MEDITS samplings in the Mediterranean Sea, establishing a multidisciplinary Working Group with the presence of technologists and other researchers with different expertise (more detailed Terms of References are reported in the report of the MEDITS coordination meeting held in Ljubljana, Slovenia, 6-8 March 2012) to tackle some relevant aspects dealed in the chapter 1 and 2 of this manual. This WG should report regularly to the MEDITS coordination group the findings of the investigations. In this manual a preliminary focus on this subject was introduced adding some details to the technical specifications of the gear characteristics and checks. This contribute should be considered preliminary as it will be further implemented by the established WG.