Over the past century, the environment of the Gulf of Mexico has been significantly altered and impaired by extensive human activities. A national commitment to restore the Gulf was finally initiated in response to the unprecedented Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. Consequently, there is a critical need for an assessment framework and associated set of indicators that can characterize the health and sustainability of an ecosystem having the scale and complexity of the Gulf.

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In the 3rd annual IAN Report Card, IAN staff reflected back on accomplishments from 2017. The self-assessment is based on indicators in three categories: social impacts, ecological outcomes, and partner engagement. Overall, IAN received an overall grade of B- (81%) which is down from an A- (90%) in 2016.

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Guanabara Bay, a natural tropical embayment in Southeast Brazil adjacent to Rio de Janeiro, is important to the Brazilian economy as it provides areas for shipping, industry, recreation, and tourism. But commercial and residential urban development in the watershed results in water quality degradation. In Guanabara Bay, strong water quality gradients as a function of inputs and tidal flushing were evident.

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This newsletter summarizes the Looking for a Future in Assessment Workshop, held in University College Cork, 27th to 29th March 2018, brought together Regional Seas stakeholders, assessment organizations, and UN and other international bodies. Participants identified a strategic opportunity to work more closely together to chart desired coastal futures.

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The world’s waters are threatened by a host of problems. Impacts from human activities like development and overuse are exacerbated by changes in climate, and increased competition by different societal interests, putting vulnerable communities and ecosystems at risk. Creating a sustainable balance of water needs for both nature and people is challenging. It will require people that are competing for water resources to work together in new collaborations and partnerships.

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In past report card years, specific regions throughout Chesapeake Bay have shown improving trends, but this is the first year that the overall Chesapeake Bay is showing significant improvement. Overall Chesapeake Bay Health Scores have been variable in the past. However, since 2015, Chesapeake Bay Health Scores have consistently been in the high C range (53, 54, 54). These consecutive high scores have contributed to an overall positive trajectory for the first time.

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In 2018, the Integration and Application Network partnered with OARS to initiate a river report card for the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Rivers. This newsletter highlights two stakeholder workshops held at Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge on February 28 and March 1, 2018. The initial workshop elicited what stakeholders value about the rivers, and subsequent workshop focused on how to measure those values, and where to find data.

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The first ever Tennessee River Basin Report card provides a snapshot assessment of ecosystem stressors, condition, and protection in the Tennessee River Basin. This report card was produced in collaboration with the Tennessee River Basin Network, the Appalachian Landscape Conservation Cooperative, and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.

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The Tennessee River Basin Report Card was developed as a tool for prioritization and restoration decisions made in the Tennessee River Basin. The report card document is also meant to serve as an outreach tool for use by managers to highlight particular issues of importance when communicating conservation and restoration with the public. This methods document discusses how the report card was developed and how the grades were calculated.

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IAN staff reflected back on accomplishments from 2016 in its 2nd annual report card. The self-assessment is based on indicators in three categories: social impacts, ecological outcomes, and partner engagement. IAN received an overall grade of A- (90%) which is up from 2015's grade of B+ (88%).

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