What is continetal shelf?

Answer 1

There is an area of shallow water extending beyond the shoreline for some distance. At some point, the dropoff becomes very steep; this is the boundary of the continental shelf.

For legal purposes, a depth of 600 feet is considered the edge of the shelf. On the eastern coast of North America, the shelf extends a great distance. Along the west coast, the shelf is almost non-existent; the water drops off to abyssal depths very close to shore.

Answer 2

The continental shelf is the shallowest part of the ocean that extends from the coastline to the point where the seafloor drops off sharply into deeper waters. It is typically rich in marine life and resources and is an important area for fishing, oil and gas exploration, and underwater research.