Protected Species in the Gulf of Mexico - NMFS' Southeast Region ...

Gulf of Mexico
The continental shelf extends
seaward until it reaches a depth
of approximately 200m. At the
edge of the shelf, the seafloor
descends down a slope to much
greater water depths.
CONTINENTAL SHELF
Protected species are often found near oceanographic
features in the Gulf of Mexico. For example, areas of
mixing and upwelling near the shelf edge, oceanic fronts,
currents, and cyclonic eddies are all areas where many
species find foraging opportunities or hunt their
preferred prey.