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The Gulf of Naples (Central Tyrrhenian Sea, Western Mediterranean Sea) extends between 40��50'-40��32'N and 13��52'-14��28'E, with an area of 870 km2 and an average depth of 170 m. About 4 million people live along the coasts, which have been inhabited since the pre-Roman age. The Gulf is characterized by the contrast between highly polluted areas (Bagnoli-Coroglio, Eastern-Naples) and pristine sites identified as Marine Protected Areas (Punta Campanella, Regno di Nettuno). The macrosite includes two sampling stations, one for the study of plankton and one for the study of benthos. The plankton sampling area is located off the city of Naples, at the border between the eutrophic littoral area and the oligotrophic open waters. The benthic sampling site is occupied by the highly valuable Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile meadows which extend over a wide bathymetric range along the Ischia Island coasts. A further peculiarity of this island stemming from its volcanic nature is represented by the CO2 emissions from the seabed which allow to study the adaptations of organisms and benthic ecosystems to acidification. In support to the observational activities, two MEDA-elastic buoys were installed in 2016 at a short distance from the coast, one off the Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn and the other off Bagnoli. The buoys are equipped with meteorological sensors, multi-parametric profiling probes and ADCP current-meters. High-frequency data are transmitted in real time via a broadband Wi-Fi bridge and also via the GSM network.