Farnsworth Onshore

Farnsworth Onshore is the inshore band of reef along Catalina's windward southwest coast at Ben Weston Point, designated as a State Marine Conservation Area in 2012. The "Onshore" in the name refers to the MPA's position relative to its more famous neighbor. This SMCA covers the zone closer to land, while Farnsworth Offshore SMCA covers the open-water bank a couple of miles further out. The bottom along the point is rock and boulder ledges with patches of giant kelp running off them, dropping to sand at depth. The structure is less dramatic than the bank pinnacles offshore, but most charters running to Farnsworth Bank will drop on the inshore reef as a secondary site when conditions allow. Back-side weather windows are narrow, because the southwest swell wraps in unobstructed and most days are unworkable for diving.

The ledges and patch reef along the point carry bare rock between the kelp patches, the kind of distinct horizontal hard-bottom section that makes this a rocky reef biome. The kelp anchored to that same shelf and grown to the surface adds a kelp forest biome to the site.

Access is boat-only, with charters running from San Pedro, Long Beach, or Avalon. Within Farnsworth Onshore SMCA, take is restricted to spearfishing of white seabass and pelagic finfish, trolling for marlin, tunas, and dorado, and dip-net take of market squid. The boundary should be verified with a chartplotter before harvesting, because the adjacent Farnsworth Offshore SMCA operates under different rules.