Why are continental shelves so biologically productive?
The shallowest edges of the continents support a staggering 90% of the world's fish catch.
The answer
Continental shelves are the submerged edges of continents, extending from the coastline to a depth of roughly 200 meters before dropping off at the continental slope. Though they represent only about 8% of the ocean's total area, they support approximately 90% of the world's commercial fish catch because sunlight penetrates the shallow water, fueling abundant phytoplankton growth. Rivers deliver nutrients from land, and upwelling currents bring additional nutrients from deeper water. Continental shelves also contain vast reserves of oil, gas, and minerals, making them economically and ecologically critical zones.
Source: FAO Fisheries
- continental shelves
- fisheries
- marine ecosystems
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