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Date: | Wed, 17 Sep 2003 02:26:48 +0000 |
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My apologies for not being clear. The term "offshore" has no precise
meaning - one cannot say that the offshore zone starts at such an such a
depth or a specific distance from land: it is a general term only.
That said, in general the ocean can be divided into several zones, which
are not mutually exclusive: the nearshore zone includes the Infratidal
zone, for example, and extreme spring tides can expose the upper portion
of the subtidal zone.
Inter-tidal: between the upper and lower limits of the tides.
Infratidal/Subtidal: oceanographers consider the infratidal zone to be
defined as that area of nearshore water column and bottom that is
completely subtidal, but influenced by tidal currents.
Nearshore: the zone that can be easily fished by small boats that do
not go very far from port - generally within 15 km of the shoreline.
Offshore: the zone not generally safe to travel by inshore fishing
vessals - no set definition, but it is beyond 10 to 15 km for certain,
and is usually correspondingly deep, except over offshore shoals or
shallow seamounts.
abyssal: very deep water, beyond the continental rise.
Back to work,
Ross M.
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