ML14219A007

NRR E-mail Capture - July 2014 FPL Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Report

ML14219A007
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	07/31/2014
From:	Weege S Inwater Research Group
To:	Koperski M NRC/NRR/PMDA, Tequesta Field Laboratory
References
Download: ML14219A007 (7)

Text

NRR-PMDA-ECapture Resource From: Steve Weege <steveweege@gmail.com>

Sent: Thursday, July 31, 2014 5:59 PM To: Meghan Koperski Cc: Audra Livergood - NOAA Federal; Ed Hollowell; Jodie Gless; John Jones; Ken Frehafer; Marine Turtle Permit; Michael Bresette; EndangeredSpecies Resource; SCO@dep.state.fl.us; Shelley Norton; Vince Munne; Cody Matt; Jeff Guertin; Ryan Welsh; Serge Aucoin

Subject:

July 2014 FPL Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Report Attachments: July 2014 Marine Turtle Captures.rtf; Monthly Report Notes 2014.xls; FPL St. Lucie Capture Summary 2014.xls; Copy of Power Plant Causal Turtles.xlsx Mrs. Meghan Koperski Tequesta Field Laboratory 191 00 SE Federal Highway Tequesta, FL 33469

Subject:

Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Summary July 2014

Dear Meghan,

Attached, please find the monthly summary of marine turtle removals for July 2014. This month, we captured twenty-five (25) Caretta caretta and ten (10) Chelonia mydas in the intake canal of the St. Lucie power plant on Hutchinson Island. There were no mortalities and only one sea turtle was sent for rehabilitation during the month of July. As with all sea turtle strandings at the Saint Lucie Plant (alive or dead), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) was consulted and a stranding form was filed with the state through the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network. The stranding in July was not considered causal to power plant operations.

There was one noncausal stranding at the Saint Lucie Power Plant during the month of July. A subadult loggerhead was hand captured in the intake canal in poor condition on July 28 1h. The animal was underweight and lethargic, and the eyes were sunken in (debilitated loggerhead turtle syndrome). The turtle was transported to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach by the FWC stranding coordinator for rehabilitation. This incident was not considered causal to power plant operations.

Throughout the month, the temporary 5-inch barrier net experienced severe loads of algae and jellyfish that entered into the intake canal system. Underwater Engineering Services, Inc. was called upon to clean and inspect the 5-inch barrier net twice during the beginning of the month due to the accumulation of algae. In water Research Group biologists monitored the barrier net around the clock during periods of heavy algae intrusion and the net was maintained well above the waterline at all times. Overall, the temporary barrier net has performed as designed and no turtles have been observed beyond the 5-inch net. Construction of a permanent 5-inch barrier net is currently underway and completion has been projected for late 2014.

The tag numbers and morphometric data for all turtles captured during the month have been included with this report (see attachrnents/addendums). Also included is a spreadsheet for all captures, mortalities, injuries, and causal events delineated by species and by month for the year 2014. In addition, this spreadsheet also tracks 1

fresh scrapes incurred on captured turtles for the current month, as well as the entire year. An additional Excel spreadsheet tracks all causal injuries and mortalities incurred by sea turtles at the St. Lucie Plant since 2002.

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 2

MARINE TURTLE REMOVALS ST. LUCIE PLANT INTAKE CANAL JULY 2014 Date Species Note Tag #'s SMCL SSCL CSCL CMCW SMCW SMPL Weight Method (em) (em) (em) (em) (em) (em) (kg) 7/1/2014 Caretta caretta LLA002/LLA003 87 .7 88.0 93.2 87.3 64.7 67 .8 118.1 North net 7/3/2014 Chelonia mydas 2 EEP5121EEP533 48.5 48.7 51 .9 46 .2 37 .2 39.7 19.2 South net 7/5/2014 Caretta caretta LLA004/LLA005 72.2 74.1 78.7 75.6 59.3 58.7 70.9 Hand capture 7/7/2014 Chelonia mydas 3 EEP4371EEP438 48.8 49.0 52 .0 46 .9 38 .9 41 .2 19.4 North net 7/7/2014 Chelonia mydas LLA006/LLA007 43 .3 43 .6 47.0 42.3 36.1 35.6 14.5 South net 7/7/2014 Caretta caretta LLA008/LLA009 69.7 71 .3 75.2 72 .8 60 .2 53.7 68.0 North net 7/912014 Caretta caretta 4 LLA01 O/LLA011 92 .8 93 .5 100.7 93.9 73.9 69.9 135.7 Hand capture 719/2014 Caretta caretta 5 LLA012/LLA013 84.8 85.4 91 .5 80.5 61 .2 65 .3 100.8 Hand capture 7/9/2014 Caretta caretta 6 LLA014/LLA015 84 .5 86.1 93.5 82.3 64.5 67.7 114.1 Hand capture 7/9/2014 Caretta caretta LLA016/LLA0 17 78.0 80.5 85 .3 78.2 62.4 57.7 84 .7 Hand capture 7/9/2014 Caretta caretta LLA018/LLA019 67 .9 69 .0 72.7 71.0 56.8 54.2 53.0 Hand capture 7/9/2014 Caretta caretta 7 LLA020/LLA021 87.4 88.3 94 .8 90.2 67.6 62 .6 111 .6 Hand capture 7/9/2014 Caretta caretta LLA022/LLA023 66.4 67 .6 71 .3 68.5 54.9 51 .3 47 .7 Hand capture 7/10/2014 Chelonia mydas 8 43274A6D49 70.4 71 .3 75.4 68 .4 57.7 60.1 63.9 Hand capture 7/10/2014 Caretta caretta LLA024/LLA025 79.4 80.8 88.9 82 .1 63.7 58.3 89.2 Hand capture

Date Species Note Tag #'s SMCL SSCL CSCL CMCW SMCW SMPL Weight Method (em) (em) (em) (em) (em) (em) (kg) 7/10/2014 Caretta caretta LLA026/LLA027 56.6 57.4 61 .0 60 .6 50.6 45.0 34 .3 Hand capture 7/15/2014 Chelonia mydas 9 EEP405/LLA029 54.9 55 .2 58 .3 50.8 43.9 48.2 30 .2 Hand capture 7/15/2014 Caretta caretta 10 YYR246/LLA028 68.2 69 .5 75 .2 70.0 54.8 50 .3 58 .4 Hand capture 7/17/2014 Caretta caretta LLA030/LLA031 79.4 80.5 85.3 78.1 60.7 61 .3 84.3 Hand capture 7/17/2014 Caretta caretta LLA032/LLA033 59.4 59.9 64.8 63.4 51 .7 47 .6 42 .9 Hand capture 7/22/2014 Chelonia mydas 11 EEP800/LLA038 56.1 56.6 59.7 53 .2 45.9 46.6 30.2 North net 7/22/2014 Caretta caretta LLA034/LLA035 81 .5 82.4 86 .2 80.9 63.8 62.4 98.2 Hand capture 7/22/2014 Caretta caretta LLA036/LLA03 7 60.5 61.4 66 .7 67.0 55.3 49.0 46.3 Hand capture 7/22/2014 Caretta caretta LLA039/LLA040 64.3 65 .3 68 .8 70 .7 60.1 54.8 57 .9 Hand capture 7/25/2014 Caretta caretta 12 EEP781/EEP782 65.4 66.4 70.1 68.2 51 .9 50 .9 47.1 Hand capture 7/25/2014 Chelonia mydas LLA041/LLA042 80 .5 80.8 84.6 79.0 66.5 67 .3 91 .2 Hand capture 7/25/2014 Chelonia mydas 13 LLA043/LLA044 57 .3 57.5 60.3 55.4 45.8 47.3 32.4 Hand capture 7/26/2014 Chelonia mydas 14 BBP273/BBP27 4 50 .3 50.7 54.3 48.5 41.2 41 .1 21 .4 Hand capture 7/26/2014 Caretta caretta LLA045/LLA046 59 .0 60.1 64.1 62 .4 51.9 48.1 37.0 Hand capture 7/27/2014 Caretta caretta LLA04 7/LLA048 62 .7 64.0 68.5 65.9 54.3 49.3 45.6 North net 7/28/2014 Caretta caretta 15 LLA049/LLA050 63.0 64.4 68.0 64 .8 55.7 50.9 31.4 Hand capture 7/28/2014 Chelonia mydas 16 LLA051/LLA052 50.0 50.3 53.2 46 .7 39 .0 38.9 18.6 Hand capture 7/28/2014 Caretta caretta LLA053/LLA054 59.5 60 .8 65.0 60 .2 50.7 45.4 34 .0 Hand capture 7/30/2014 Caretta caretta 17 LLA055/LLA056 95.3 97 .6 105.4 95.2 76.5 73.2 172.0 Hand capture 7/31/2014 Caretta caretta 18 LLA057/LLA058 87 .2 89.6 93.9 83.8 68.6 69 .9 114.4 Hand capture

NOTES

1. Adult female . Tail length = 215 mm . Ultrasound revealed shelled eggs. Turtle missing 40% of left rear flipper (healed). Mating wound in dorsal surface of neck.

2. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal , tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 5131112 , 4127113, 1115113,1121114 and 713114 .

3. RECAPTURE . Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 216106, 413109, 7128109 , 1213109, 2111110, 913110, 5118111 , 119112, 10131112, 4111113, 7129113 , 113114 and 717114 . Shark rakings in carapace and plastron and minor flipper damage noted as well.

4. Adult female. Tail length = 227 mm . Ultrasound revealed shelled eggs.

5. Adult female . Tail length = 198 mm . Ultrasound revealed shelled eggs . Skull exposed from 1 em moderate fresh scrape to top of head . Old shark raking along both sides of plastron , rear flippers , and left anterior carapace . Healing wounds in in anterior surface of distal LFF and broken phalanges as well.

6. Adult female . Tail length= 175 mm . Ultrasound revealed shelled eggs. Skull exposed from moderate fresh scrape to anterior surface of head . Second moderate fresh scrape in carapace (bone exposed) .

7. Adult female . Tail length = 195 mm . Ultrasound revealed shelled eggs.

8. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 1111101 ' 9120102 , 616103 , 7115103 , 9125103 , 8112104, 5112105 , 6126105 , 9116105 , 1213105, 8115106, 9111106 ,

11111106, 10123108, 114110, 2121110 and 7110114. Skull exposed from moderate 3 em fresh scrape to top of head . Another moderate 8 em fresh scrape across the left anterior carapace.

9. RECAPTURE . Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 9118111 , 4126112 , 717112 , 1130113, 5113113 , 11114113, 12116113 and 7115114. New lnconel tag #LLA029 inserted into the left front flipper on this capture event.

10. RECAPTURE . Turtle was removed from the intake canal , tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 8123108, 9117108 , 1110109, 3117109 , 12118109, 9125110 , 11111110, 5118113, 8131113 and 7115114. New lnconel tag #LLA028 inserted into the left front flipper on this capture event.

11. RECAPTURE . Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 11125108, 1114109, 9112110, 917111 , 10131111 , 5130112 , 1115113, 6130114 and 7122114 .

12. RECAPTURE . Turtle was removed from the intake canal , tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 6121114 and 7125114 .

13. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 217105 , 914105 , 9125110 , 9128111 and 7125114 .

14. RECAPTURE . Turtle was removed from the intake canal , tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 1014107, 10120111 , 7121112 , 12112112, 116113, 413113 , 116114 and 7126114 .

15. REHAB (NON-CAUSAL). Stranding# STW140728-01. Subadult loggerhead hand captured in the intake canal in poor condition (debilitated loggerhead turtle syndrome) . The animal was underweight and lethargic; the eyes were sunken in . Transported to rehab by the FWC stranding coordinator Morgan Young . Turtle went to the Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach for rehabilitation .

16. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal , tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 5120111 and 7128114 .

17. Adult female . Tail length= 215 mm. Ultrasound revealed shelled eggs and numerous follicles. Turtle is still actively nesting .

18. Adult female . Tail length = 194 mm . Turtle missing 50% of right front flipper (healed). Ultrasound revealed shelled eggs (turtle is still nesting) .

SMCL = Straight Minimum Carapace Length SMCL = Straight Standard Carapace Length CSCL = Curved Standard Carapace Length CMCW = Curved Maximum Carapace Width SMCW = Straight Maximum Carapace Width SMPL =Straight Midline Plastron Length

Loggerheads Green turtles Hawks bills Leatherbacks Kemp's ridley (Che lonia (Eretmochelys (Dermochelys (Lepidochelys (Caretta caretta) mydas) imbricata) coriacea) kempii) Overall Totals Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Jul- Date Jul- Date Jul- Date Jul- Date Jul- Date Jul- Date Captures 25 188 10 86 0 2 0 0 0 2 35 278 Causal Mortalities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Non-causal Mortalities 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 Causal Injuries 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sent to rehab 1 7 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 11 Fresh Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Scrapes Jul- Date Jul- Date Jul- Date Jul- Date Jul- Date Jul- Date None 1 28 0 18 0 2 0 0 0 1 1 49 Minor 22 142 9 60 0 0 0 0 0 1 31 203 Moderate 2 18 1 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 26 Severe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Percent with mod/sev scrapes 8.0% 9.6% 10.0% 9.3% N/A 0.0% N/A N/A N/A 0.0% 8.6% 9.4%

Injury I Mortality St Lucie Power Plant Causal Turtles 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 ** 2014 Totals by Species Total Captures 341 538 623 484 419 227 420 260 295 302 232 303 188 4,632 Loggerhead Injuries 0 0 0 1 *3 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 5 Mortalities 0 0 1 0 *21 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 Total Captures 292 394 286 428 267 101 299 161 444 217 127 196 86 3,298 Green Injuries 0 1 0 3 7 0 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 16 Mortalities 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 0 3 1 2 2 0 17 Total Captures 0 4 2 0 1 1 0 1 2 0 2 2 0 15 Leatherback Injuries 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mortalities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Captures 0 2 1 3 3 0 2 0 7 0 0 0 2 20 Kemp's Ridley Injuries 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mortalities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Captures 3 6 2 2 2 1 4 2 3 2 1 2 2 32 Hawksbill Injuries 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mortalities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Injury & Mortality Yearly Totals 2 2 . 2 5 32 1 5 3 5 1 3 3 0 64 Total Captures per Year 636 944 914 917 692 330 725 424 751 521 362 503 278 7,997

• The loggerhead causal injuries and morta lities in 2006 were all hatchlings.

• • 2014 is a pa rt ial yea r.