is a partnership program between NOAA Chesapeake Bay Program Office and the Integration and Application Network (IAN) at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences (UMCES). EcoCheck is located at the Cooperative Oxford Laboratory, on the Eastern Shore of Chesapeake Bay. The purpose of EcoCheck is to enhance and support the science, management and restoration of Chesapeake Bay through the integration of geographically detailed assessments and forecasts. Effective management is essential for improved health of Chesapeake Bay and EcoCheck helps provide the support and knowledge needed for this effort.

Chesapeake Bay Report Card 2007
Find out about the health of your local tributary by reading the Chesapeake Bay Report Card. The report card is based on six indicators of habitat health. Learn more about the report card and the supporting material by visiting the report card website.

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2007 Chester River Report Card
This report card newsletter presents a detailed health assessment of the Chester River. You can also learn more about the report card process by visiting the Chesapeake Bay Report Card website.

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2007 Patuxent River Report Card
This report card newsletter presents a detailed health assessment of the Patuxent River. You can also learn more about the report card process by visiting the Chesapeake Bay Report Card website.

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The areas that EcoCheck focuses on are highlighted below.

• Increased understanding of how climatology   affects fish recruitment in Chesapeake Bay.

• Incorporation of spatially explict data into   current management tools.

• Effective use of ecosystem health indicators.

• Prediction of fisheries variability with forecast   models.

The EcoCheck approach builds on the circular relationship between assessment and forecasting. Assessments provide the data and questions from which quantitative forecast models are developed. Continued assessment enables the forecast models to be tested and refined. Given the size and complexity of the issues affecting the Bay, EcoCheck projects aim to be as geographically detailed as possible. Communication tools will be used to maximize impact of the project findings in terms of improving Bay management. We hope to make a maximum impact for a small program by working collaboratively with other programs.