MONITORING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL we have for measuring conditions within the Bay and the effectiveness of restoration efforts. Since its beginnings in 1914, marine monitoring of the Bay has evolved into a $4 million annual endeavor, involoving more than 20 federal, state, and local agencies. Despite these efforts, gaps still exist in our knowledge of environmental conditions within the Bay. To help close these gaps, the SMBRC has developed a comprehensive monitoring program that lays out new monitoring designs and implementation palns for major habitat types within the Bay.