OPEC project (OPerational ECology: Ecosystem forecast products to enhance marine GMES applications) will undertake research and development to develop Operational Ecology to augment the capabilities of the GMES Marine Service. Using the Marine Service as a framework, OPEC will contribute to the establishment of innovative new GMES products or applications by establishing the infrastructure for the performance of ecology in the European Regional Seas by implementing a prototype regional ecological Marine Forecast System in 4 European Regions (NE Atlantic Baltic, Mediterranean and Black Seas, which include hydrodynamics, lower (plankton) and higher trophic (e.g. fish) and biological data assimilation.