Pelagic habitat is the largest habitat on earth made up of 330 million cubic miles of water. It encompasses both the shallower well-lit coastal waters out to the continental shelf, and the much deeper oceanic water beyond.
It is defined by the lack of boundaries or structure, and is the open-water environment away from the shore and seafloor.
Pelagic environments range from the continental shelf to deep water; in the U.S. Virgin Islands, waters from the shoreline to 3nm are considered territorial waters.
Fish like Atlantic mahi mahi and wahoo use our pelagic waters. Some tracking of these species lets us know where and how they use our pelagic environments: https://dolphintagging.com/caribbean-sea/
Birds like roseate terns, American oystercatchers, and Lesser Yellowlegs use our pelagic waters for foraging and migration as they stopover or breed in the USVI: https://atlanticflywayshorebirds.org/