On behalf of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the NOAA Chesapeake Bay Office works to protect and restore the Bay by focusing its capabilities on four key topics: Education, Fisheries, Habitat, and Observations. These topics are addressed by each of the Office’s primary programs (Ecosystem Science, Coastal and Living Resource Management, and Environmental Literacy) in an integrated approach to ecosystem management. This enables scientists and resource managers to examine some of the interconnected elements of the Bay ecosystem and ensures that Bay residents have a holistic understanding of the resource.

As an example, in the case of the blue crab science and management:

• The Ecosystem Science program carries out on-the-water research to track the effects of derelict crab traps on the Bay's living resources, and how removal of these traps could affect habitat.
• The Coastal and Living Resource Management program shares information, gathered by NOAA scientists and NOAA-funded partners, on the status of the blue crab population with Maryland and Virginia state fisheries agencies to help them set regulations.
• The Environmental Literacy program trains educators to teach about the important habitats blue crabs need during their life cycle and the potential effects of derelict crab traps.