Metatranscriptome samples from the SCOPE Gradients 3 expedition (KM1906) that cruised a transect following the 158th meridian west, from ~25 N to ~42 N, in the North Pacific between the 11th and 25th of April, 2019. Triplicate seawater samples (approx. 10 liters each) were taken from the ship intake system while transit was underway. The intake valve sits about 7 meters below the surface, on average. Each sample was pre-filtered through a 100 micrometer mesh, collected in series onto 3 micrometer and 0.2 micrometer polycarbonate filters, and then flash frozen in liquid nitrogen. After the cruise, whole community RNA was extracted from filters and depleted for ribosomal RNA prior to sequencing, resulting in libraries predominantly representing RNA expression of the prokaryotic communities.