A great multitude assembled; a crowd; a throng; -- said especially of fish; as, a shoal of bass.

To assemble in a multitude; to throng; as, the fishes shoaled about the place.

Having little depth; shallow; as, shoal water.

A place where the water of a sea, lake, river, pond, etc., is shallow; a shallow.

An elevation of the bottom, composed of unconsolidated (soft) material (i.e., any material other than rock or coral) which constitutes a danger to surface vessels. As a guideline, shoals may be considered to be covered by less than l0 fathoms. See ledge, reef, and rock.

An offshore hazard to navigation at a depth of 16 fathoms (30 meters or 96 feet) or less, composed of unconsolidated material.

sandy elevations offshore, which may be partially or fully submerged; transitory habitat

a surface-navigation hazard composed of unconsolidated material SHLU