What is the group term for all marine layers that do not involve the continental shelf?

The term that encompasses all marine layers beyond the continental shelf is the pelagic realm. This region includes the vast open ocean waters that are not associated with the coastal areas and extends from the surface to the deepest parts of the ocean. The pelagic realm consists of various layers that are characterized by depth and distance from land, including the epipelagic (sunlit), mesopelagic (twilight), bathypelagic (midnight), abyssopelagic, and hadal zones.

In contrast, the other terms describe specific areas or zones that are related to freshwater or coastal/oceanic environments. The limnetic zone pertains to the open water area of freshwater bodies such as lakes, the abyssal zone refers to the very deep ocean floor which is also part of the pelagic zone but is more specific, and the neritic zone covers the shallow part of the ocean that is near the coast and above the continental shelf. Hence, the pelagic realm accurately captures all marine layers beyond the continental shelf.