DCL-2009-527, Submittal of National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Marine Mammal Stranding Report for a Dead Harbor Seal Discovered in the Intake Structure

Submittal of National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Marine Mammal Stranding Report for a Dead Harbor Seal Discovered in the Intake Structure

ML092090196
Person / Time
Site:	Diablo Canyon
Issue date:	07/17/2009
From:	Peters K Pacific Gas & Electric Co
To:	Cordaro J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, US Dept of Commerce, National Marine Fisheries Service
References
DCL-2009-527
Download: ML092090196 (4)

Text

51* PacificGas and Electric Company' Diablo Canyon' Power Plant P.0. Box 56 Avila Beach, CA 93424 PG&E Letter DCL-2009-527 Certified/Return Receipt

1. 7007-2680-0000-5565-4162 July 17, 2009 Joseph G. Cordaro Wildlife Biologist National Marine Fisheries Service 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200 Long Beach, California 90802-4213

Dear Mr. Cordaro:

Enclosed is a National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Marine Mammal Stranding Report for a dead harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) discovered in the Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) intake structure. The harbor seal was discovered by Operations staff on July 2, 2009 floating between the intake curtain wall and the 1-3 bar rack of Unit 1.

As authorized in a letter dated June 3, 1994 from NMFS, DCPP removed the dead harbor seal from the intake structure and transported it offshore. The harbor seal was estimated to be about 2 feet in length, and was semi-decomposed. It is most likely that it died and drifted onto the bar racks before floating to the surface. There were no obvious indications of the cause of death. Decomposition was too advanced. It is very unlikely that the Diablo Canyon intake structure was a factor in this harbor seal's death, as intake flow velocity-is low enough that healthy animals can easily swim against it.

Verbal notification of this incident was reported to NOAA Fisheries on July 3, 2009 (within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> of discovery).

Should you have any questions or concerns regarding the enclosed report, or require additional information, please contact Jim Kelly of my staff at (805) 545-3194.

Ke.nn eth J.. Peters "

Sta 'n Director- Diablo Canyon Power Plant 009527/jilk Enclosure

PG&E Letter DCL-2009-527 Joseph G. Cordaro, NMFS July 17, 2009 Page 2 cc w/enclosure: Alan B. Wang NRR Project Manager U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission One White Flint North Mail Stop 08B1 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852-2738 Michael S. Peck Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Diablo Canyon Power Plant 104/5 Regional Administrator U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region IV 612 E. Lamar Blvd., Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011-4125 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 Kathy Hill California Department of Fish and Game 1416 9 th Street, Room 1341 Sacramento, CA 95814

MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING REPORT - LEVEL A DATA FIELD M: NMFS REGIONAL #: NATIONAL DATABASE#:

(NMFS USE) (NMFS USE)

COMMON NAME: _ California Harbor Seal __ GENUS: __ Phoca SPECIES: __ Vitulina EXAMINER Name: JAMES KELLY Affiliation: PACIFIC GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY Address: __ P. 0. BOX 56 AVILA BEACH, CA 93424 ' Phone: __ 805) 545-3194 Stranding Agreement or Authority: -Letter from NMFS dated June 3, 1994 LOCATION OF INITIAL OBSERVATION OCURRENCE DETAILS 0 Restrand GE#

State: _CA_ County: _SAN LUIS OBISPO-' Group Event: 0 YES Z NO (NMFS Use)

City: _AVILA BEACH If Yes, Type: C Cow/Calf Pair C Mass Stranding # Animals: __ One (1) __ . V Actual 0 Estimated Body of Water: _PACIFIC OCEAN Findings of Human Interaction: C YES 0 NO W Could Not Be Determined (CBD)

Locality Details: _9 miles NW of Avila Beach_

If Yes, Choose one or more: C 1. Boat Collision C 2. Shot 0 3. Fishery Interaction Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP)___

C 4. Other Human Interaction:

Lat (DD): _35 _212222 N How Determined (Check one or more): C External Exam C Internal Exam 0 Necropsy Long (DD): _120 853611 W C Other:

T Actual 0 Estimated Gear Collected? C YES. ONO Gear Disposition:

How Determined: (check ONE) Other Findings Upon Level A: C YES C NO V Could Not Be Determined (CBD)

C GPS ;6 Map 0 Internet/Software If Yes, Choose one or more: 0 1. Illness C 2. Injury C 3. Pregnant C34.Other:

How Determined (Check one or more): C External Exam C Internal Exam C Necropsy Cl Other:

INITIAL OBSERVATION LEVEL A EXAMINATION C Not Able to Examine Date: Year: _ 2009 __ Month: - July Day: _ 2 Date: Year: __ 2009 __ Month: __ July __ Day: __ 3 First Observed: ClBeach or Land C1Floating C Swimming CONDITION AT INITIAL OBSERVATION (Check ONE) CONDITION AT EXAMINATION (Check ONE)

C 1. Alive C 4. Advanced Decomposition 0 1. Alive 0 4. Advanced Decomposition D 2. Fresh dead C 5. Mummified/Skeletal C 2. Fresh dead C 5. Mummified/Skeletal I 3. Moderate decomposition C 6. Condition Unknown D 3. Moderatedecomposition C 6. Unknown INITIAL LIVE ANIMAL DISPOSITION (Check one or more) MORPHOLOGICAL DATA C 1. Left at Site C 6. Euthanized at Site SEX (Check ONE) AGE CLASS (Check ONE)

C 2. Immediate Release at Site C 7. Transferred to Rehabilitation:

C 1. Male C 1. Adult

• 4. Pup/Calf C 3. Relocated Date: Year:__ Month: Day: C 2. Female C 2. Subadult C 5. Unknown Facility:_______________________________

C 4. Disentangled C 8. Died during Transport 1. 3. Unknown C 3. Yearling C 5. Died at Site Cl 9. Euthanized during Transport C Whole Carcass C Partial Carcass C 10. Other:

CONDITION/DETERMINATION (Check one or more) Straight length: 24 C] cm 14 in C actual 1 estimated D 1. Sick 7. Location Hazardous Weight: __ kg 0 lb Cl actual C estimated C 2. Injured C a. To animal PHOTOSNIDEOS TAKEN: C YES J4 NO 0 3. Out of Habitat C b. To public PhotoNideo Disposition:

C 4. Deemed Releasable C 8. Unknown/CBD Cl 5. Abandoned/Orphaned Cl 9.0ther C 6. Inaccessible CARCASS STATUS (Check one or more)

C 1. Left at Site K,4. Towed: Lat_35.212 Long_120.853 0 7. Landfill.

TAG DATA Tags Were: 0 2. Buried 0 5. Sunk: Lat Long _ _ 8. Unknown Present at Time of Stranding (Pre-existing): 0 YES 9. NO 0 3. Rendered C 6. Frozen for Later Examination 0 9. Other Applied during Stranding Response: C YES 60 NO SPECIMEN DISPOSITION (Check one or more)

ID# Color Type Placement* Applied Present C 1. Scientific collection C 2. Educational collection (Circle ONE)

D DF L 0 0 C 3. Other:

LF LR RF RR Comments:

D DF L 0 0_

LF D_

LR LFDLR RF RR RF R [NECROPSIEDIA NO C]YES C Limited 0 Complete D DFL C LF LR RF RR C Carcass Fresh [I Carcass Frozen/Thawed D= Dorsal; DF= Dorsal Fin; L= Lateral Body NECROPSIED BY:'

LF= Left Front; LR= Left Rear; RF= Right Front; RR= Right Rear Date: Year: Month: Day:

NOAA Form 89-864 (rev. 2007) OMB No.0648-0178; Expires 10/31/2010 PLEASE USE THE BACK SIDE OF THIS FORM FOR ADDITIONAL REMARKS

ADDITIONAL REMARKS ADDITIONAL IDENTIFIER: (If animal is restranded, please indicate any previous field numbers here)

-Decomposing harbor seal found in power plant intake structure.

_ Unknown cause of death. Harbor seal most likely dead before entering intake.

Decomposed to point where cause of death could not be determined. Head and appendages were missing.

Allowed to decompose in natural environment.

DISCLAIMER THESE DATA SHOULD NOT BE USED OUT OF CONTEXT OR WITHOUT VERIFICATION. THIS SHOULD BE STRICTLY ENFORCED WHEN REPORTING SIGNS OF HUMAN INTERACTION DATA.

DATA ACCESS FOR LEVEL A DATA UPON WRITTEN REQUEST, CERTAIN FIELDS OF THE LEVEL A DATA SHEET WILL BE RELEASED TO THE REQUESTOR PROVIDED THAT THE REQUESTOR CREDIT THE STRANDING NETWORK AND THE NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE. THE NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE WILL NOTIFY THE CONTRIBUTING STRANDING NETWORK MEMBERS THAT THESE DATA HAVE BEEN REQUESTED AND THE INTENT OF USE. ALL OTHER DATA WILL BE RELEASED TO THE REQUESTOR PROVIDED THAT THE REQUESTOR OBTAIN PERMISSION FROM THE CONTRIBUTING STRANDING NETWORK AND THE NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE.

PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT INFORMATION PUBLIC REPORTING BURDEN FOR THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION IS ESTIMATED TO AVERAGE 30 MINUTES PER RESPONSE, INCLUDING THE TIME FOR REVIEWING INSTRUCTIONS, SEARCHING EXISTING DATA SOURCES, GATHERING AND MAINTAINING THE DATA NEEDED, AND COMPLETING AND REVIEWING THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION. SEND COMMENTS REGARDING THIS BURDEN ESTIMATE OR ANY OTHER ASPECT OF THE COLLECTION INFORMATION, INCLUDING SUGGESTIONS FOR REDUCING THE BURDEN TO: CHIEF, MARINE MAMMAL AND SEA TURTLE CONSERVATION DIVISION, OFFICE OF PROTECTED RESOURCES, NOAA FISHERIES, 1315 EAST-WEST HIGHWAY, SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND 20910. NOT WITHSTANDING ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THE LAW, NO PERSON IS REQUIRED TO RESPOND, NOR SHALL ANY PERSON BE SUBJECTED TO A PENALTY FOR FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH, A COLLECTION OF INFORMATION SUBJECT TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT, UNLESS THE COLLECTION OF INFORMATION DISPLAYS A CURRENTLY VALID OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET (OMB) CONTROL NUMBER.

NOAA Form 89-864 (rev. 2007) OMB No. 0648-0178; Expires 10/31/2010