IAN received a Gold Star Partnership Award from the Maryland Coastal Bays Program (MCBP) at their annual end-of-year event in Ocean City, MD. IAN was recognized for their contribution in building credibility with both scientists and stakeholders, synthesizing data, communicating results, and developing solutions to environmental problems. In addition, IAN chairs and hosts the Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee of the MCBP. At the same meeting, IAN and MCBP released the 2016 Coastal Bays report card, with both hard copies and the updated Coastal Bays report card website. The grades were slightly improved in the northern embayments, but continued to degrade in the southern embayments.