ML11258A258

August 2011 FPL Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Report

ML11258A258
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	09/04/2011
From:	Weege S Inwater Research Group
To:	Koperski M State of FL, Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Balsam B
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ML11258A254	List: ML11258A258 ML11258A259 ML11258A262 ML11258A265
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Download: ML11258A258 (2)

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From: Stephen Weege To: Meghan Koperski Cc: Bob Hoffman; Dave Niebch; Dave Clark; RidsNrrDlr Resource; Ed Hollowell; Jodie Gless; Ken Frehafer; Mike Bresette; Shelley Norton; Vince Munne

Subject:

August 2011 FPL Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Report Date: Sunday, September 04, 2011 3:05:35 PM Attachments: August 2011 Marine Turtle Captures.rtf Monthly Report Notes 2011.xls FPL St. Lucie Capture Summary 2011.xls

Dear Meghan,

Attached, please find the monthly summary of marine turtle removals for August 2011. This month, we captured thirteen (13) Caretta caretta and one (1) Chelonia mydas in the intake canal of the St. Lucie power plant on Hutchinson Island. This includes one loggerhead hatchling entrained during Hurricane Irene and recovered by Underwater Engineering Services (UESI) on the night of August 25th. The hatchling was found east of the 5-inch barrier net and was released unharmed.

There were two non-causal mortalities during the month of August. On the 1st, a juvenile green turtle was recovered from the surface of the temporary 5-inch barrier net in the morning. The animal was underweight, with no other wounds or abnormalities. The turtle was transported on ice to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center (MLC) by Inwater Research Group (IRG) personnel for necropsy. The preliminary determination by IRG biologists was that the animal had drowned during entrainment and that this incident was likely causal to power plant operations. This was later changed to a non-causal event after the final determination was made by veterinarian Nancy Mettee (following gross necropsy and pathology reports).

The second non-causal event occurred on the 20th of August. A skeletal carapace and lower jaw were found on the bottom of the intake canal during an in-water survey. The lower jaw confirmed that the severely decomposed animal was a loggerhead sea turtle. The remains were not salvaged and the measurements had to be estimated. This animal was most likely entrained into the canal postmortem.

This incident was considered non-causal to power plant operations.

Throughout the month, the 5 barrier net experienced negligible to severe loads of algae and jellyfish that entered into the intake canal. On August 20th, there was a severe jellyfish intrusion that lasted through the end of the month. UESI divers were deployed that same day and continued 24-hour monitoring and cleaning of the temporary barrier net into September. Even still, the temporary 5-inch barrier net was breached on the first day of the intrusion event. The entire span of the net was up to 12-inches underwater. The net was submerged again, but to a lesser degree, on the 21st and 22nd of August. Helicopter surveys were initiated by FPLs Department of Land Utilization to monitor the progression of the jellyfish event offshore (up to two miles out; between the Jupiter and Fort Pierce Inlets). To lessen the potential impact of this event on entrained sea turtles, IRG biologists have continued the increased monitoring of algae and jellyfish, as well as amplified hand capture efforts. Despite the heavy influx of debris and the issues with the temporary barrier net, no turtles have been observed beyond the 5-inch net. A permanent fix for the primary net continues to remain in the design phase.

The tag numbers and morphometric data for all turtles are attached. Also included is a spreadsheet for all captures, mortalities, injuries, and causal events delineated by species and by month for 2011. This spreadsheet also tracks fresh scrapes incurred on captured turtles for the current month, as well as the entire year.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Sincerely, Steve

Steve Weege Sr. Environmental Specialist Inwater Research Group, Inc.

4160 NE Hyline Dr.

Jensen Beach, FL 34957 sweege@inwater.org (772) 349-7252