Although the World’s very first marine research station was established in 1843 in Ostend by Pr. Pierre–Joseph van Beneden, systematic oceanographic data collection in the Belgian part of the North Sea was initiated at the end of the XIXth century 1899 by Pr. Gustave Gilson. Over more than ten years of intensive sampling cruises, he collected about 14 000 samples, which are currently preserved in the collections of the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences. Work is in progress to digitize this material. Systematic sampling cruises resumed in the seventies with the 'Projet Mer/Projekt Zee' (aka 'Project Sea', PMPZ, 1970-1976). The 'Project Sea' is the first phase (1970-1976) of the North Sea Research Programme funded by the Belgian Science Policy Office.