As one of the important centers of the U.S. seafood industry, the Chesapeake Bay has for centuries supported watermen, businesses, and communities all along its shores. But catches of Chesapeake seafood are down, mostly due to poor water quality, and some bayside towns now face an uncertain future.

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Produced by Vanina Harel, Shayna Muller, and Nick Zachar, Chesapeake Villages tells the stories of three such villages and their residents: Deal Island, Crisfield, and Hoopers Island.