This report card provides a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed annual assessment of 2007 Chesapeake Bay habitat health. This is the second year that the report card has been released. This report card rates 15 reporting regions of the Bay using six indicators that are combined into a single overarching index of habitat health. Habitat health is defined as progress of the six indicators towards established scientifically derived ecological thresholds or goals.

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This year's drought led to lower than normal nutrient and sediment discharge into the Bay during the summer. With fewer sediments and nutrients entering the Bay, the health of the Bay may have been expected to improve, however, this was not the case for water clarity, harmful algal blooms, and fish kills. While dissolved oxygen in the mainstem was still poor this summer, the volume of oxygen depleted water was relatively small compared to the past 22 years.

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Habitat consists of the physical, chemical, and biological components that are necessary for the survival and growth of organisms in an ecosystem. In an estuary, habitat provides food and shelter for invertebrates, shellfish, and fish. Habitat is an integral part of an ecosystem, and assessing habitats is important in determining ecosystem health.

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This is a three part series on the Asian oyster Environmental Impact Statement. It has been proposed to introduce the Asian oyster (Crassostrea ariakensis) into Chesapeake Bay as one potential solution to the loss of the historic oyster fishery, and the ecological functions that oysters perform for Chesapeake Bay.

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Defending Our National Treasure: A Department of Defense Chesapeake Bay Restoration Partnership 1998–2004 provides an overview of major issues impacting the Chesapeake Bay, history of the Department of Defense’s involvement in Bay restoration efforts, current Department of Defense Chesapeake Bay restoration initiatives, specific case studies, and viewpoints of various key individuals dedicated to restoration.

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This report provides an assessment of eutrophic conditions for 141 U.S. estuaries. The report was based on data and information provided by scientists and experts from around the country. Results from the assessment show that two-thirds of the estuaries evaluated exhibited moderate to high levels of eutrophication. Report production was a collaborative effort between Suzanne Bricker (NOAA NCCOS), EcoCheck (NOAA-UMCES Partnership) and IAN. More information is available from the NEEA website.

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This newsletter describes forecasts of Chesapeake Bay 2007 summer ecological conditions. Forecasts of three important Bay health indicators are provided–dissolved oxygen (DO), harmful algal blooms (HABs), and changes in aquatic grass distribution.

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This newsletter describes why dissolved oxygen is an important indicator of ecosystem health. It focuses on dissolved oxygen in Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries and describes the factors that affect dissolved oxygen. Additionally, the management decisions and actions that are being taken to reduce the amount of low dissolved oxygen in the Bay are described.

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This poster addresses the history, theory, and practical approach of ecosystem-based fisheries management.

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Ecosystem health report cards are an effective means of tracking and reporting the health of a waterway at both local and regional scales. A report card is being developed within the Chesapeake Bay science and management community in order to provide a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed annual assessment of Chesapeake Bay habitat health. This newsletter summarizes the methods and data used to calculate the report card scores for 2006.

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