© MOBOTIX AG • Security-Vision-Systems 1

MOBOTIXC A S E S T U D Y

Over twenty years ago, very few people knew about

the hidden, underwater world off Pembrokeshire, on

the west coast of Wales. However, in 1990 the creation

of Skomer Marine Nature Reserve (MNR) covering the

waters off the headland and around Skomer Island,

gave the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) a

golden opportunity to study and protect this marine

environment.

Skomer’s waters are famed for their amazing range of

underwater marine life. Situated on the boundary where

northern and southern species overlap, there is a huge

variety of wildlife of all shapes and colours – making

it a great place to study and monitor changes in the

marine environment.

An environmental wonderlandMany species are studied in detail. These range from

sponges to grey seals, and from tiny, colourful sea

slugs to graceful, slow-growing seafans, a 120 of which

are monitored and photographed every year to study

changes in them. Over the last 20 years, King scallops,

which are protected from all forms of fishing within the

MNR, have increased more than eight fold.

Eelgrass, a rare and sensitive habitat which harbours

a wealth of wildlife, has increased in area and density.

It is protected in the MNR by marker buoys and by

providing moorings for visiting boats - eelgrass is

easily damaged if anchors are dragged through it.

The environment at Skomer has also been identified

as Wales‘ only Important Plant Area (IPA) for marine

algae, with over 240 species recorded.

Helping to monitor conservation efforts with MOBOTIX technology

Skomer Marine Nature Reserve, Island

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CCW Marine Conservation Officer for Skomer, Mark

Burton said: “Keeping an eye on the Marine Nature

Reserve which is only accessible by boat can be a

challenge. This is especially tough in rough weather

where winds of over 110 mph and waves over 13 metres

high have been measured.” Burton’s duties include

maintaining the site’s oceanographic monitoring and

weather station. CCW collates data on temperature,

salinity, turbidity, chlorophyll, PH and oxygen from

probes on the seabed of the Skomer MNR which

I  used as part of a UK wide research project on climate

change.

Marine Reserve Officers also need to manage human

activity, so that it is in line with the conservation

objectives of the site. More than 145,000 people have

visited the Marine Nature Reserve exhibition at Martin’s

Haven. Add to this more than 40,000 divers have

explored the MNR – either for pleasure or to contribute

to the survey and monitoring work.

“We also need to make sure that illegal fishing does not

occur within the protected area but with limited staff, it

was felt that a remote, high resolution camera would

be a major benefit,” explains Burton.

All weather capability essentialBased on a requirement for extreme reliability

and ability to work in all-weather conditions,

CCW selected a MOBOTIX solution from Ecl-ips

(www.ecl-ips.com/mobotix); a highly regarded

Advanced MOBOTIX Partner. The MOBOTIX M24-SEC

cameras are installed within a converted coast guard

hut on the mainland overlooking the island and provide

wide angle coverage across several key locations such

as protected scallop beds and wildlife areas.

The M24-SEC MOBOTIX cameras offers a higher

30 frames per second capture at megapixel resolutions.

The two new cameras each have a 60 degree lens

system. Together, the cameras can cover critical areas

of the island and estuary from its vantage point in the

coast guard hut. Featuring a 64 GB of internal storage

capacity, the M24 cameras can ensure that even if

a communication link is lost; the island can still be

monitored with recording for later analysis.

CCW accesses the system via a fibre optic link and

all footage is recorded for 10 days. Burton said: “The

system also tags movement events and can generate

an alert whenever a vessel comes into the area of

coverage – this is useful for monitoring any illegal

fishing within the area.”

„High Definition Protecting Stunning Natural beauty“

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The high resolution images produced by the camera

allow for accurate identification of objects within the

field of vision. The megapixel capability also offers

software-based zoom capability without the need for

an additional mechanical PTZ enclosure.

In common with all MOBOTIX cameras, the installation

uses a decentralised concept which places intelligence

within the camera. Through decentralisation, CCW

avoids the need for any additional costly video capture,

encoding or storage devices. Conservation Officers can

control the cameras using a simple internet browser

with all video images viewed from a simple PC or even

mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets. This

technology innovation makes the monitoring process

extremely flexible while reducing cost and complexity.

The cameras also have two way audio capabilities

which allow ad-hoc communication between the

mainland and the hut on the island.

To date, the cameras have proven extremely reliable

and withstood extreme temperature changes and

weather conditions without fail. The system was

installed by Worcestershire based MOBOTIX partner

Ecl-ips, a specialist in delivering environmental and

security threat management. “The implementation by

the team from Ecl-

ips was extremely

professional and

the cameras have

worked well ever since,” Burton adds.

The real-time images have been made available to

the public through the CCW website and also provide

a guide for groups preparing to scuba dive or sail in

and around the island. The installation is the first of

its kind within a Marine Nature Reserve. The use of

this innovative visual technology is helping to raise

awareness and protect wildlife.

M24

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The German company MOBOTIX AG is known as the leading

pioneer in network camera technology since its founding in

1999, and its decentralized concept has made high-resolution

video systems cost-efficient.

Increased Resolution Reduces Amount Of Cameras Needed1536-line, high-resolution sensors give a better overview and

allow users to monitor an entire room with just one camera.

Reduced Installation Costs At Any DistanceStandard Ethernet connection enables the use of common

network components such as fiber, copper and wireless (wi-fi).

Intelligent Cameras Reduce The Number Of Recording Devices The decentralized MOBOTIX concept makes it possible to

store data from approximately ten times more cameras to

a single storage device than is normally possible.

Event-Controlled Image Format Minimizes Storage CostsAutomatic image adjustment (frame rate, size) based on

movement, sound or signal input reduces the bandwidth

and storage requirements.

Low Power Costs, No Extra HeatingAnti-fogging without heating allows usage of standard PoE

technology to power the system via Ethernet or two-wire

cable, saving power cabling costs.

Backup Power Supply Costs Reduced By Over 80 PercentLow power consumption, approximately four watts, enables

year-round PoE (no heating required) with one centralized

UPS from installation room using the network cabling.

Robust And Practically Maintenance-FreeFiberglass-reinforced composite housing with built-in cable

protection and no mechanical moving parts (no auto iris)

guarantees longevity.

Software For Thousands Of Cameras And Storage Devices IncludedThe right premium user interface software for every application:

MxEasy for compact video solutions, MxControlCenter for

professional control centers.

Unlimited Scalability And High Return On InvestmentWhile in use, more cameras and storage can be added at

any time; image format, frame rate & recording parameters

are camera specific.

Additional Functions And Other Extras IncludedAudio support, lens, wall mount and weatherproof housing

(-30 to +60 °C; -22°F to +140°F) are included; microphone

& speaker available in almost all models.

MOBOTIX AGKaiserstrasseD-67722 Langmeil, GermanyTel.: +49 6302 9816-103Fax: +49 6302 9816-190E-Mail: sales@mobotix.comwww.mobotix.com

MOBOTIX – Made in Germany: Innovative Technology, Reduced Total Costs