The Okaloosa Board of County Commissioners approved a plan Tuesday morning to install an underwater live-stream camera at the Okaloosa Island Pier, offering the public a unique view of marine life off the Destin-Fort Walton Beach coast.

• The board voted to support a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Okaloosa County and Pier Resort & Development, which operates the Okaloosa Island Pier, for the camera installation.

Mike Norberg, Coastal Resources Coordinator for Okaloosa County, said the project originated from efforts to place a camera at the Beasley Snorkel Reef in early 2020. However, high installation costs and potential maintenance challenges led officials to choose the pier as an alternate location.

• “Existing infrastructure, including necessary network capabilities, will significantly reduce installation costs,” Norberg stated.

The camera system, developed by Fathom Ocean, features a 1080p, 360-degree pan-tilt-zoom camera housed in a self-cleaning underwater casing. It includes an automated mechanical wiper to remove sediment or algae growth on the viewing dome.

Norberg noted that the pier’s existing infrastructure allows for a nearly “plug-and-play” integration of the camera system. The live video feed will be available online and can be embedded into websites. It will also be streamed at the pier to educate visitors about local marine life.

“Our ecosystem around the pier is healthy,” said Pier General Manager Eric Brown. “It will be a great addition for the world to see all the diverse marine life that takes up residency and swims through for a visit!”

Similar setups have been successfully implemented at locations including Frying Pan Shoal Tower in North Carolina, Deerfield Beach Pier in Florida, and the McMurdo Oceanographic Observatory in Antarctica, according to Norberg.

• The project’s funding, set at $25,000, will come from the Tourist Development Department.

The board’s approval also authorizes future non-material changes to the MOU as needed during the project’s lifespan, subject to approval by the County Administrator and County Attorney, with due notice to the Board.

“We are excited about this opportunity with the Okaloosa Island Pier,” said Norberg. “This will provide a unique opportunity for locals and visitors to see the diversity of marine life around Destin-Fort Walton Beach from a different perspective.”