Relating to shallow coastal waters over the continental shelf, typically less than 200 meters deep, where sunlight can reach the bottom. This zone supports high productivity and diverse marine life.
From Greek 'nerites,' a type of sea snail found in shallow coastal waters, combined with the suffix '-ic.' The term was adopted into marine biology in the early 20th century to distinguish shallow coastal waters from deeper oceanic regions.
The neritic zone is like the ocean's most productive farmland, supporting about 90% of the world's fish catch despite covering only about 10% of the ocean! The combination of sunlight, nutrients from land runoff, and upwelling creates incredibly rich ecosystems.
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