The neritic zone is the top ocean layer closest to the coastline and above the continental shelf. This zone extends from the intertidal zone (zone between high and low tide) to the edge of the continental shelf of the ocean floor, where the shelf drops off forming the continental slope. The neritic zone is shallow, reaching depths of about 200 meters (660 feet). It is a subsection of the pelagic zone and includes the ocean's epipelagic zone, which lies within the photic or light zone.
