Maryland’s Coastal Bays, the shallow lagoons nestled behind Ocean City and Assateague Island, comprise a complex ecosystem.These estuarine bays, at the interface between fresh and saltwater, provide habitat for a wide range of aquatic life. But like many coastal systems, they face threats from intense development, nutrients, sediments, and other stresses associated with human activities.This report documents the most up-to-date status of the water quality and living resources in the Coastal Bays and highlights the management steps being taken to preserve them.

• State of the Maryland Coastal Bays (PDF)(48 pp, 13 MB)