The coastal area is the most productive and dynamic environment of the world ocean with significant resources and services for mankind. JERICO-NEXT emphasizes that the complexity of the coastal ocean cannot be well understood if interconnection between physics, biogeochemistry and biology is not guaranteed. Such an integration requires new technological developments allowing continuous monitoring of a larger set of parameters. The objective of JERICO-NEXT consists in strengthening and enlarging a solid and transparent European network in providing operational services for the timely, continuous and sustainable delivery of high quality environmental data and information products related to marine environment in European coastal seas.

The best practice of technologies, methodologies and procedures is a vital step in ensuring efficiency and optimal returns from any kind of distributed, heterogeneous, multifaceted, coastal observing infrastructure operating on a transnational level like the JERICO network.

The JERICO network is always striving to increase its suite of sensors to anticipate likely future demands. As part of this effort, it is now implementing a variety of sensors for a number of bio-geochemical measurements. While Task 2.4 of JERICO-NEXT dealt with the harmonization of these sensors and their underlying technologies, this report provides information on Best Practice in the utilization of sensors used for measuring nutrients (lead: CEFAS), biology-related optical properties (lead: SYKE), variables of the marine carbonate system (lead: NIVA), and for coastal profiling (lead: CNR). This deliverable will also inform on the outcome and results of the workshops that were dealing with its topic during the project.