Marine ecological areas can be identified as distinct regions within coastal and ocean environments, homogenous in species composition and influenced by oceanographic and topographic phenomena. Maritime areas have unobstructed access to the ocean and are influenced by the always-changing tides within the Georgia Coast. These areas extend from the outer edge of the continental shelf to the inland reaches of the tidal extent. Maritime areas are shaped by light availability, water depth, currents, salinity, temperature, and the local biological and geological base.