Much like the homes humans live in, habitats support life by providing the basic things that marine organisms need to successfully carry out their life cycles. Habitats provide food and water for marine organisms to grow and survive, and shelter for marine life to hide from predators. Habitats also serve as critical breeding and spawning grounds.
Marine organisms depend on many different kinds of habitats to live.
Some marine species are transient and use several different habitat types throughout their life cycles. For instance, South Atlantic peneaid shrimp use offshore marine habitats for spawning and inshore estuarine waters, particularly tidal wetlands, as nursery areas. Salmon species provide a more extreme example, using freshwater rivers and streams for spawning and offshore marine waters for feeding and growth. Other species may be more permanent residents of a particular habitat type. Whether seasonal or year-round, habitats are essential to the survival and productivity of fish species.