ML11312A122

October 2011 FPL Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Report

ML11312A122
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	11/04/2011
From:	Weege S Inwater Research Group
To:	Koperski M Florida Power & Light Co, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
Balsam B
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ML11312A119	List: ML11312A122 ML11312A124 ML11312A136
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Download: ML11312A122 (2)

Text

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:

October 2011 FPL Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Report Date: Friday, November 04, 2011 10:03:30 AM Attachments: October 2011 Marine Turtle Captures.rtf Monthly Report Notes 2011.xls FPL St. Lucie Capture Summary 2011.xls Mrs. Meghan Koperski Tequesta Field Laboratory 19100 SE Federal Highway Tequesta, FL 33469

Subject:

Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Summary October 2011

Dear Meghan,

Attached, please find the monthly summary of marine turtle removals for October 2011. This month, we captured twenty-three (23) Caretta caretta and forty-nine (49) Chelonia mydas in the intake canal of the St. Lucie power plant on Hutchinson Island. During the month of October, three turtles were sent for rehabilitation and one was recovered postmortem from the intake canal.

Throughout the month of October, two loggerheads and one green turtle were sent to rehabilitation facilities. On October 4th , a subadult loggerhead in poor condition was recovered from the tangle nets set by Inwater Research Group (IRG) biologists. The animal was severely underweight and lethargic. The carapace was also covered in epibiota and the scutes were peeling. After consultation with Florida Fish and Wildlife (FWC), the turtle was held overnight for transport to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center (LMC) the following day.

The animal was picked up by the FWC sea turtle stranding coordinator the next morning.

This incident was not causal to power plant operations. On October 20th , a green turtle with heavy fibropapilloma tumors was recovered from the surface of the temporary 5-inch barrier net. The tumors were impeding locomotion and vision. After consultation with FWC, the turtle was picked up by the FWC stranding coordinator and transported to the Clearwater Aquarium for rehabilitation. This incident was not casual to power plant operations. On October 27th , a severely underweight and lethargic loggerhead was seen floating at surface of intake canal. The turtle was dip-netted by IRG biologists for examination and work-up.

After consultation with FWC, the turtle was held overnight for transport by IRG personnel to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center the following day. The turtle died overnight and the remains were delivered to the LMC. This incident was not causal to power plant operations.

There was only one sea turtle mortality recovered from the intake canal at the St. Lucie power plant in October. On the 23rd, a dead green turtle with fibropapillomas was found moderately decomposed, floating at the surface of the intake canal. The numerous tumors were growing out of the seams and scutes of the carapace and the shell was peeling from decomposition. Additionally, a small piece of light monofilament line was wrapped around the tumors on the plastron. After consultation with FWC, this incident was determined to be non-causal to power plant operations. The animal was retained for future state sponsored

necropsy workshops at FWCs request.

Throughout the month, the 5 barrier net experienced negligible to severe loads of algae and jellyfish that entered into the intake canal. The severe jellyfish intrusion event that began on September 17th ended in the first week of October. UESI divers remained on site until October 13th , monitoring and cleaning the 5-inch net on up to a 24 hour2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> basis. UESI placed 12 extra buoys on the temporary 5-inch net to lessen the chance of net failures due to severe entrainment events. Three floats were also replaced on the 8-inch A-1-A net to bring the net to full height. In October, UESI completed quarterly inspections on the 5-inch, 8-inch and UIDS nets. One hole was repaired in the 5-inch net and the A-1-A net was cleaned of all algae build-up. Additionally, Morgan & Eklund, Inc. performed a bathometric survey of the intake canal in preparation for installation of the permanent 5-inch barrier net.

Inwater Research Group personnel continued increased net monitoring throughout the month of October. The temporary 5-inch, 8-inch A-1-A, and UIDS barrier nets were checked up to three or more times each day and net height and debris coverage were reported to FPL personnel on a regular basis. To lessen the potential impact of the severe jellyfish event on entrained sea turtles, IRG biologists proactively removed turtles through the use of hand capture and dip nets. Despite the heavy influx of debris, the temporary barrier net has performed as designed and 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