We performed measurements of the volume scattering function (VSF) between 0.5° and 179° with an angular resolution of 0.3° in the northern Adriatic Sea onboard an oceanographic platform during three different seasons, using the multispectral volume scattering meter (MVSM) instrument. We observed important differences with respect to Petzold's commonly used functions, whereas the Fournier–Forand's analytical formulation provided a rather good description of the measured VSF. The comparison of the derived scattering, b_p\left(\lambda \right) and backscattering, b_{bp}\left(\lambda \right) coefficients for particles with the measurements performed with the classical AC-9 and Hydroscat-6 showed agreement to within 20%. The use of an empirical relationship for the derivation of b_b\left(\lambda \right) from \beta \left(\psi ,\lambda \right) at \psi =140° was validated for this coastal site although \psi =118° was confirmed to be the most appropriate angle. The low value of the factor used to convert \beta \left(\psi ,\lambda \right) into b_b\left(\lambda \right) within the Hydroscat-6 processing partially contributed to the underestimation of b_b\left(\lambda \right) with respect to the MVSM. Finally, use of the Kopelevich model together with a measurement of b_p\left(\lambda \right) at \lambda =555\text{\hspace{0.17em} nm} allowed us to reconstruct the VSF with average rms percent differences between 8 and 15%.