continental shelf
Underwater landmass edge
The continental shelf is the submerged edge of a continent, extending from the shoreline to where the ocean floor drops steeply toward the deep sea.
These shallow underwater plateaus rarely exceed 200 meters in depth and often contain rich fishing grounds and oil deposits.
Disputes over continental shelf boundaries involve both fishing rights and mineral extraction.
Ocean's solid base
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
- bathymetrySubaqueous topographical measurement
- submarine canyonUnderwater valley cutting continental shelf
- tectonicsStudy of crustal deformation
isostasy · submerged · neritic · littoral · plateau · hydrography · drilling · sand
Seafood harvesting enterprise
- spawning groundReproductive habitat for fish
- nurseryRoom for infants
- benthicOf the sea bottom
- coral reefCalcium carbonate marine ecosystem
kelp forest · plankton · algae · crustacean · mollusk · crab · lobster · shrimp
Sovereign coastal sea zone
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- fishing rightsAuthorization to harvest fish
- mineral rightsClaim to underground resources
- offshore drillingExtracting petroleum from seabed
coastal state · natural resources · oil exploration · gas reserves · international law
seafloor
Ocean's solid base
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
- bathymetrySubaqueous topographical measurement
- submarine canyonUnderwater valley cutting continental shelf
tectonics · isostasy · submerged · neritic · littoral · plateau · hydrography · drilling · sand · silt
fishery
Seafood harvesting enterprise
- spawning groundReproductive habitat for fish
- nurseryRoom for infants
- benthicOf the sea bottom
coral reef · kelp forest · plankton · algae · crustacean · mollusk · crab · lobster · shrimp · octopus
territorial waters
Sovereign coastal sea zone
- sovereigntySupreme independent authority
- fishing rightsAuthorization to harvest fish
- mineral rightsClaim to underground resources
offshore drilling · coastal state · natural resources · oil exploration · gas reserves · international law
- seafloor sedimentssediment layers, seafloor, substrate, detritus, organic matter
- oceanwaves, Atlantic, sea, Pacific, tide
- coastal featuresshore, coast, beach, bay, cliff
- coastal geographyarchipelago, atoll, islet, cay, skerry
- coastscliffs, shoreline, sandy shore, coves, bays
- habitatsforest, ocean, lake, river, pond
continental shelfocean depths
Underwater zones beyond light
deep sea · ocean trench · mid-ocean ridge · open ocean · deep ocean
continental shelfoceanic crust
Basaltic layer beneath seas
ocean basin · oceanic plate · mid-ocean ridge · subduction zone
shelf, continent, shelves, bookshelf, continents, continental, transcontinental, intercontinental, continental drift