The purpose of Sound Health 2008 is to report on the health of the Sound and its watershed (a separate report, Protection and Progress, details the management actions taken to improve the Sound). Environmental indicators are used to characterize the status and trends in the Sound, using data from academic research, agency programs, and other sources. This report highlights trends in pollutant levels, land use and development, water quality, living resources, and sensitive habitat. From this snapshot, Sound Health 2008 addresses such questions as: Is the water cleaner; Are the fish safe to eat; Is the water safe to swim in; and Are fish still abundant. To answer these questions, Sound Health 2008 assesses the threats from nutrient enrichment, toxic contaminants, polluted stormwater, and habitat loss using a sample of more than 50 environmental indicators developed by the Long Island Sound Study. Sound Health 2008 also reports on new challenges, such as climate change and pharmaceutical contaminants, and includes an expanded section illustrating how conditions in the Sound vary by geography.