The German Government supports the harnessing of offshore wind power as part of its energy policy, which is aimed at increasing the share of renewable energies in total energy production as a contribution to climate protection and energy supply security. To support technological developments and improve the knowledge of the impacts of offshore wind energy technology on the marine flora and fauna, the research project FINO (research platforms in the North and Baltic Seas) was started in 2002. The project is funded by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) represented by the Jülich Research Centre (Project Management Organization Jülich, PTJ). The database contains the results of comprehensive meteorological and oceanographic measurements made at the three research platforms and in the offshore test field, as far as they have become operational. For the meteorological and oceanographic measurements, the German Wind Energy Institute (DEWI) and the Federal Maritime and Hydrographic Agency (BSH) have been commissioned to participate.