Catalina Island Underwater Marine Reserve Cam

An Underwater Window on Catalina Island

This live webcam streams from beneath the research dock of the USC Wrigley Marine Science Center in Big Fisherman Cove, on the leeward shore of Santa Catalina Island. Encrusted pilings rise like an otherworldly forest through the crystalline water, alive with movement in every direction.

Life in the Blue Cavern Marine Protected Area

The cove sits within the Blue Cavern Marine Protected Area, part of California's statewide MPA network, where vibrant kelp forests, eelgrass beds and rocky reefs shelter hundreds of species. Watch kelp bass, garibaldi and flashing schools of baitfish patrol the pilings in real time.

Science and Stewardship

Operated with explore.org, the camera supports the pioneering research and education mission of the University of Southern California, whose scientists have studied these waters since the late 1980s. It offers divers, students and ocean lovers a front-row seat to one of the richest marine habitats on the Southern California coast.