ML102380332

Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Summary for March 2009

ML102380332
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	04/08/2009
From:	Bresette M Florida Power & Light Co
To:	Foster S, Gless J, Hoffman B, Hollowell E, Koperski M, Logan D, Munne V, Niebch D, Norton S, Perkins W Florida Power & Light Co, Division of License Renewal, US Dept of Commerce, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
References
Download: ML102380332 (7)

Text

Balsam, Briana From: Michael_Bresette@fpl.com Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 12:04 PM To: Meghan.Koperski@MyFWC.com Cc: Logan, Dennis; Ed_Hollowell@fpl.com; Shelley.Norton@noaa.gov; Vince_Munne@fpl.com; Winifred.Perkins@fpl.com; Bob.Hoffman@noaa.gov; Stacy.Foster@fpl.com; David.Niebch@fpl.com; Jodie.Gless@fpl.com

Subject:

March Sea Turtle captures Attachments: St. Lucie caps 2009.xls; March09.pdf Mrs. Meghan Koperski Tequesta Field Laboratory 19100 SE Federal Highway Tequesta, FL 33469

Subject:

Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Summary March 2009

Dear Meghan,

Attached, please find the monthly summary of marine turtle removals for March 2009. In March, we captured thirty one (31) Caretta caretta and twenty three (23)

Chelonia mydas at the intake canal of the St. Lucie power plant on South Hutchinson Island. On March 9, a lethargic juvenile green turtle with fibropapillomas was found at the top of the primary barrier net and was transported to the Mote Marine Lab for rehabilitation after consultation with personnel from FWCC. On March 13, a loggerhead with deep, healing propeller wounds was captured and transported to the Marinelife Center in Juno Beach after consultation with personnel from FWCC. Both of these incidents were not considered causal to power plant operation. On March 23, a loggerhead was found at the top of the barrier net with several healing wounds from a possible boat hit. This turtle also sustained a fresh, deep cut behind the left eye and a skull fracture to the left dorsal side of the head as a result of entrainment through the intake pipe. The turtle was transported to the Marinelife Center after consultation with personnel from FWCC and this injury was considered causal to power plant operation.

There was one mortality recorded at the intake canal in March. On March 23, during hand capture efforts by snorkelers a moderately decomposed loggerhead was found on the bottom of the canal, halfway between the headwall and primary barrier net.

This turtle was not buried and was likely entrained into the canal in the moribund state it was found. This turtle was extremely emaciated with a heavy epibiont load.

Because this turtle was found in the middle of the canal, we believe that it must have come in shortly before hand capture efforts began. If this turtle had been undetected it would have ended up on the barrier net within a couple of hours due to the strong currents in the canal. After consultation with personnel from FWCC, this 1

mortality was not considered causal to power plant operation. All other turtles that were captured in March were released on the same day of capture.

Throughout the month of March the primary barrier net experienced heavy loads of algae that threatened its integrity. Divers were deployed to clean the nets during five days in March to restore the net to original design specifications.

Tag numbers and morphmetric data for all turtles are attached. Also, attached is a spreadsheet of all captures, mortalities, injuries and causal events delineated by species and month for 2009. This spreadsheet tracks fresh scrapes and will be helpful in determining the success of the intake pipe cleaning project. If you have any questions or comments about the enclosed data please contact me at your convenience.

Sincerely, Michael J. Bresette Sr. Environmental Specialist Quantum Resources, Inc.

(See attached file: St. Lucie caps 2009.xls)(See attached file: March09.pdf) 2

Loggerheads Green turtles Hawksbills Leatherbacks Kemp's ridley (Chelonia (Eretmochelys (Dermochelys (Lepidochelys (Caretta caretta) mydas) imbricata) coriacea) kempii) Overall Totals Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Mar-08 Date Mar-08 Date Mar-08 Date Mar-08 Date Mar-08 Date Mar-08 Date Captures 31 66 23 61 0 0 0 0 0 0 54 127 Causal Mortalities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Non-causal Mortalities 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Causal Injuries 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 Sent to rehab 2 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 6 Fresh Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Scrapes Mar-08 Date Mar-08 Date Mar-08 Date Mar-08 Date Mar-08 Date Mar-08 Date None 4 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 6 Minor 15 42 19 41 0 0 0 0 0 0 34 83 Moderate 10 18 3 17 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 35 Severe 2 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 Percent with mod/sev scrapes 38.7% 30.3% 13.0% 29.5% #DIV/0! #DIV/0! 0.0% 0.0% #DIV/0! 0.0% 27.8% 29.9%