Okaloosa County approves underwater livestream camera for Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier

SHALIMAR — The Okaloosa County Commission has approved a memorandum of understanding between the county and Pier Resort and Development for an underwater livestream camera to be installed on the pier.

Here is what you need to know:

Background

According to county documents, the initial planning for an underwater camera began in early 2020, when the Coastal Resources team began exploring installing one at the Beasley Snorkle Reef.

Installation costs for underground wiring for power and streaming services, plus maintenance challenges, made the Okaloosa Island Fishing Pier the prime location for the camera. Its existing infrastructure and necessary network capabilities would reduce installation costs.

What will this camera system do?

Developed by Fathom Ocean, the camera system will feature a 1080p, 360-degree pan-tilt-zoom camera housed inside a self-cleaning underwater shell that includes an automated mechanical wiper to remove sediment and algae growth from the viewing dome.

County documents state that the existing infrastructure at the pier will allow a "nearly plug-and-play" installation of the system. Once the camera is installed, the live video feed will be available online and embedded into websites, allowing the public to gain further information on the marine life in local waters.

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How will this be funded?

If approved by the County Commission at a later date, the camera system will be funded by a $25,000 allocation of tourist development dollars. According to county documents, the camera itself costs $19,990.

Documents say that typical future maintenance for the camera only requires replacing the wiper as it wears down.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Okaloosa County approves underwater livestream camera for Island Pier