Cat Harbor State Marine Conservation Area

[1] Cat Harbor SMCA is one of 36 new marine protected areas adopted by the California Fish and Game Commission in December 2010 during the third phase of the Marine Life Protection Act Initiative.

The MLPAI is a collaborative public process to create a statewide network of protected areas along California’s coastline.

Their job was to design a network of protected areas that would preserve sensitive sea life and habitats while enhancing recreation, study and education opportunities.

This area contains eelgrass habitat, and affords recreational opportunities This area includes the waters below the mean high tide line on the west side of Catalina Island northward of a straight line connecting Pin Rock: 33°25.50′N 118°30.28′W / 33.42500°N 118.50467°W / 33.42500; -118.50467 (3rd corner) and Cat Head Point 33°25.32′N 118°30.76′W / 33.42200°N 118.51267°W / 33.42200; -118.51267 (4th corner).

Similar studies in marine protected areas located off of the Santa Barbara Channel Islands have already detected gradual improvements in fish size and number.

Two Harbors Isthmus in Santa Catalina Island ; on the right, or northeast, is Isthmus Cove (aka Banning Harbor) and on the left, or southwest, is Catalina (or Cat) Harbor.