Project Home Project Home U.S. ECS About the Project About ECS Data Collection International Cooperation FAQ Downloads HomeU.S. Extended Continental Shelf Project hide U.S. Extended Continental Shelf Project U.S. ECS Announcement The United States released the geographic coordinates defining the outer limits of the continental shelf of the United States in areas beyond 200 nautical miles from the coast. The portion of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles from the coast is known as the “extended continental shelf,” or ECS. For more information, including maps and other resources, see the U.S. ECS section of the website. Read more about the Department of State’s announcement of the outer limits of the U.S. ECS: media note FACT SHEET U.S. ECS Key Topics U.S. ECS About the Project About ECS Data Collection International Cooperation U.S. ECS The United States has ECS in seven offshore areas: the Arctic, Atlantic (east coast), Bering Sea, Pacific (west coast), Mariana Islands, and two areas in the Gulf of Mexico. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE U.S. ECS U.S. ECS About the Project The work to determine the outer limits of the U.S. ECS is coordinated by the ECS Task Force, an interagency body of the U.S. Government led by the Department of State. The U.S. ECS Project Office is located at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information in Boulder, Colorado. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE PROJECT About the Project About ECS The ECS is that portion of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles. It is an important maritime zone that holds many resources and vital habitats for marine life. LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ECS About ECS Data Collection Since 2003, U.S. agencies have been collecting and analyzing data to determine the outer limits of the U.S. ECS. LEARN MORE ABOUT DATA COLLECTION Data Collection International Cooperation The United States supports the efforts of other countries to determine their ECS limits, in accordance with the Law of the Sea Convention. LEARN MORE ABOUT INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION International Cooperation Photos From the U.S. ECS Squat lobster, brittle star, hermit crab with anemone on its back, and Brisingid sea star [Images courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Windows to the Deep 2021]
