The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) in collaboration with the University of Michigan and funded by NOAA will produce a summer dissolved oxygen forecast for Chesapeake Bay. An annual anoxia forecast will be produced for two periods (early and late summer) and a hypoxia forecast will be produced for the month of July. The results of this forecast will be published on an interactive website and included in a press release. A website will be maintained with communication tools to interpret and illustrate the expected outcomes of the forecast.

Oysters are a keystone of sustainable fisheries and aquaculture, healthy coastal ecosystems, and resilient communities in the Chesapeake Bay region. Bringing new knowledge of different types of fishery management and aquaculture techniques to fishing communities in this region is a vital part of developing thriving coastal communities, yet communicating these techniques and strategies is not straightforward and may not be effective without prior stakeholder engagement.