Glossary
The English version of our glossary is currently under construction and will be regularly updated.
Continental shelf
The term “continental shelf” refers to a region that lies underwater (shelf sea) and extends from the coastline to a depth of ca. 200 metres.
A continental shelf is a shallow part of the ocean and is essentially an extension of the respective continent below sea level. As a rule, continental shelves are characterised by shallow waters, sandbanks and reefs. Also rich in nutrients, they support a broad range of marine organisms, including fishes, crustaceans and algae.
The width and extent of these shelves vary from continent to continent. Some are quite broad (e.g. off the coasts of North America and Europe), while others are comparatively narrow (e.g. off the coast of South America).
Continental shelves play an important part in marine research and marine commerce. Many of our planet’s most important fishing resources can be found on them. In addition, they are used for the mining of oil, gas and other resources.