Just keep swimming: New Ohio underwater webcam provides calming glimpse of hatchery trout

Enjoy watching fish swim along? If so, boy, does the Shores & Islands Ohio have a webcam for you.

The tourism agency — which promotes the Cedar Point, Sandusky and Lake Erie Islands region — has partnered with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to install a webcam at the Castalia State Fish Hatchery near Sandusky, allowing viewers to get a glimpse of life underwater. It's the agency's ninth webcam.

The webcam features what you'd expect — fish.

Those interested in viewing the new webcam can find it at https://www.shoresandislands.com/things-to-do/on-the-water/fishing/#webcam.

Where did the webcam idea come from?

The idea emerged after the National Fishing Expo in Columbus.

"Someone who enjoyed the region's webcams for scoping out the weather before embarking on a fishing trip, suggested it would be neat to be able to see under the lake as well," Shores & Islands Ohio said. "Logistically speaking, an underwater web camera in Lake Erie proved not feasible ... but the idea of an underwater fish-cam was still something the organization thought was worth pursuing and partnered with the Ohio Division of Natural Resources Department of Wildlife to devise an opportunity."

Webcam highlights trout population

The webcam went live after debuting as part of Governor's Fish Ohio Day in June.

"Online viewers can now watch hundreds of rainbow and steelhead trout as they are raised in the hatchery's raceway to be stocked throughout the state," the agency said. "The camera is especially entertaining at feeding time!"

The camera is located at Castalia State Fish Hatchery

The hatchery features 70 indoor raceways, three outdoor raceways, and two production buildings manned by four full-time and two seasonal workers.

"The hatchery produced 8,932 'catchable' rainbow trout and 46,132 steelhead trout in 2023," the release stated.

Don't like watching fish? There are other webcams

Perhaps watching fish isn't your thing. Shores & Islands Ohio offers eight other webcams, including ones looking at the Marblehead Lighthouse and Put-in-Bay harbor.

You can check out all the webcams at: https://www.shoresandislands.com/plan-your-visit/webcams/.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Ohio fish webcam shows underwater view of Castalia State Fish hatchery