This compilation presents a historical synthesis of the studies carried out (publications, thesis, monogrphs) on the zooplankton in the Bay of Mochima, Sucre State, Venezuela. The Plankton Laboratory of the Institute of Zoology and Tropical Ecology (IZET) and the Zooplankton Laboratory of the Venezuelan Oceanographic Institute (IOV) have carried out numerous studies of the zooplankton community, in which they emphasize taxonomic and ecological aspects including the effects of upwelling events. Among these, the level of information is very uneven. A list of zooplankton composition and richness is presented. The holoplankton components include jellyfish (19 species), siphonophores (5 species), copepods (75 species), cladocerans (4 species), chaetognatha (3 species), holoplanktonic mollusks (2 species), mysidacea (2 species), appendicularians (16 species). Within the meroplankton are larvae of decapod crustaceans, cirripedes and ichthyoplankton. In general, copepods were the most abundant group, with differences in upwelling events and represented the highest proportion of biomass. Temporal and spatial biomass fluctuations, zooplankton abundance and related physical and chemical variables were analyzed. However, the variables needed to estimate production, such as annual cycles and trophic relationships, have been poorly studied. Depending on the lack of information, the main problems were identified and recommendations for future research are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]