Southeast US Continental Shelf LME

The Southeast US Continental Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem (LME) is characterized by its temperate climate. It borders the Atlantic Ocean, extending from the Straits of Florida to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, USA. The Gulf Stream flows south to north along the continental shelf of temperate North America within this LME. It is an intense northward flow, often exceeding 1.5 meters/second, along the western side of the North Atlantic where it separates the cooler, fresher slope water from the offshore Sargasso Sea. The Gulf Stream is something of a misnomer since only a small fraction of the water carried by the Gulf Stream flows through the Florida Strait from the Gulf of Mexico. The majority of the water comes from the Antilles and North Equatorial Currents to the southeast. The Gulf Stream turns towards the east off the Grand Banks in the Northeast US Continental Shelf LME and contributes relatively warm water to the North Atlantic Current. This LME contains many bays and sounds, and extensive coastal marshes that provide unique habitats for living marine resources. Coral reefs, lagoons, sea-grass beds, shallow bays, mangroves and estuaries are included in one of the largest marine protected areas in the world, the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary.