NORTHEAST SHELF ECOSYSTEM Clause Samples

NORTHEAST SHELF ECOSYSTEM. The Northeast Shelf Ecosystem (Figure 6) has been described as including the area from the Gulf of Maine south to North Carolina, extending from the coast seaward to the edge of the continental shelf, including the slope sea offshore to the Gulf Stream (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ et al. 1996). A number of distinct sub- systems comprise the region, including the Gulf of Maine, Georges Bank, the Mid-Atlantic Bight, and the continental slope. Georges Bank is a relatively shallow coastal plateau that slopes gently from north to south and has steep submarine canyons on its eastern and southeastern edge. It is characterized by highly productive, well-mixed waters and strong currents. (NEFMC, Am. 13 FSEIS, Section 9.1.1)