The Northeast U.S. Shelf is one of the most productive marine ecosystems in the world. Two newly released reports provide a snapshot of the Northeast U.S. Shelf, one focusing on Georges Bank and the Gulf of Maine, and the other on the waters of the Mid-Atlantic Bight.  Changes are being observed in climate, coastal and ocean processes as well as human uses. These changes are affecting ecosystem productivity, fishing communities and regional economies. These 2020 state of the ecosystem reports, which inform the New England and the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, were produced by the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, with additional collaborators from academic research institutions, non-profit organizations, and state agencies.