DCL-2015-513, Marine Mammal Stranding Report (Sea Lion)

Marine Mammal Stranding Report (Sea Lion)

ML15097A179
Person / Time
Site:	Diablo Canyon
Issue date:	03/17/2015
From:	Cortese K Pacific Gas & Electric Co
To:	Viezbicke J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, State of CA
References
DCL-2015-513
Download: ML15097A179 (5)

Text

Pacific Gas and Electric Company' S Diablo Canyon Power Plant P.0.Box 56 Avila Beach, CA 93424 PG&E Letter DCL-2015-513 Certified/Return Receipt

1. 7010-1060-0000-4204-2674 March 17, 2015 Justin Viezbicke California Stranding Network Coordinator NOAA Fisheries 501 West Ocean Blvd., Suite 4200 Long Beach, California 90802-4213 Marine Mammal Stranding Report (Sea Lion) Diablo Canyon Power Plant

Dear Mr. Viezbicke:

Enclosed is a NOAA Fisheries Marine Mammal Stranding Report for a dead sea lion (Zalophus californianus)discovered in the Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) intake structure forebay. The sea lion was discovered on February 22, 2015 against the Unit 2 intake 2-6 debris bar rack.

As authorized in a letter dated June 3, 1994 from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS),

DCPP staff removed the dead sea lion from the intake structure and transported it offshore. The sea lion was approximately 50 inches in length, with an estimated weight of about 180 pounds.

The animal had moderate decomposition (reference enclosed photograph). There was no indication of cause of death due to the decomposition. It appears that this animal died and drifted up against the intake bar racks. Plant intake flow rates are not a challenge to live sea lions, and they frequently swim in and out of the intake structure. There was no indication of an adverse impact to the marine mammal due to power plant operations. It is most likely that the sea lion's death is attributable to natural causes.

Verbal notification of this incident was reported to NOAA Fisheries on February 23, 2015 (the day after 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.

Sincerely, Kenneth W. Cortese Manager- Chemistry and Environmental Operations 2015513/jlklbkc Enclosures (2)

PG&E Letter DCL-2015-513 Justin Viezbicke, NOAA Fisheries March 17, 2015 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 Thomas Hipschman Senior Resident Inspector U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Diablo Canyon Power Plant 104/5 Regional Administrator U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Region IV 611 E. Lamar Blvd., Suite 400 Arlington, TX 76011-4125 U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington, D.C. 20555-0001 California Department of Fish and Wildlife Marine Region 20 Lower Ragsdale Dr. Suite 100 Monterey, CA 93940

PG&E Letter DCL-2015-513 March 17, 2015 Specimen Photograph - Sea Lion (Zalophus californianus)

Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) - February 22, 2015 Photographs Page 1 of 1

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

(NMFS USE) (NMFS USE)

COMMON NAME: California Sea Lion GENUS: Zalophus SPECIES: californianus EXAMINER Name: James Kelly Affiliation: Pacific Gas and Electric Company Address: P.O. Box 56, Avila Beach, California 93424 Phone: (805) 545-3194 Stranding Agreement or Authority:

LOCATION OF INITIAL OBSERVATION OCURRENCE DETAILS 0 Restrand GE#

State: Ca. County: San Luis Obispo Group Event: E0YES N NO (NMFS Use) r.itv Avila Beach If Yes, Type: 0 Cow/Calf Pair 5 Mass Stranding # Animals: -- C Actual C Estimated Body of Water. Pacific Ocean Findings of Human Interaction: 0 YES R NO C Could Not Be Determined (CBD)

Locality Details: Diablo Canyon Power If Yes, Choose one or more: C 1. Boat Collision 13 2. Shot C 3. Fishery Interaction Plant - Intake Structure Bav 2-6 O 4. Other Human Interaction:

Lat (DD): 35 12' 44" N How Determined (Check one or more): X External Exam 0 Internal Exam 5 Necropsy Long (DD): 120 51' 13" W O Other:

DOActual C Estimated Gear Collected? 0 YES X NO Gear Disposition:

How Determined: (check ONE) Other Findings Upon Level A: 0 YES X NO C Could Not Be Determined (CBD)

X GPS 53 Map [E InterneV/Software If Yes, Choose one or more: 0 1. Illness El 2. Injury 0 3. Pregnant C 4.Other_

How Determined (Check one or more): 0 External Exam 0 Internal Exam ECNecropsy O1Other:

I INITIAL 01SERVATION LEVEL A EXAMINATION 5 Not Able to Examine Date: Year, 2015 Month: 02 Day: 22 Date: Year 2014 Month: 02 Day: 23 First Observed: 0 Beach or Land X Floating 0 Swimming CONDITION AT INITIAL OBSERVATION (Check ONE) CONDITION AT EXAMINATION (Check ONE)

O 1. Alive 5 4. Advanced Decomposition C 1. Alive 5 4. Advanced Decomposition 0 2. Fresh dead 5 5. Mummified/Skeletal D 2. Fresh dead EC5. Mummified/Skeletal 0 3. Moderate decomposition E06. Condition Unknown 9 3. Moderate decomposition EC6. Unknown INITIAL LIVE ANIMAL DISPOSITION (Check one or more) MORPHOLOGICAL DATA EC1. Left at Site C 6. Euthanized at Site SEX (Check ONE) AGE CLASS (Check ONE)

E52. Immediate Release at Site 0 7. Transferred to Rehabilitation: 0] 1. Male 5] 1. Adult 5]4. Pup/Calf C 3. Relocated Date: Year: Month: Day:_ 2. Female 5 2. Subadult 5 5. Unknown Facility:______________________________

0 4. Disentangled E58. Died during Transport N 3. Unknown X 3. Yearling 515. Died at Site El 9. Euthanized during Transport X Whole Carcass 5 Partial Carcass O 10. Other_

CONDITION/DETERMINATION (Check one or more) Straight length: 50 0 cm N in N actual 51estimated C 1. Sick 7. Location Hazardous Weight: 175-185 _ 0kg C lb C actual [] estimated 0 2. Injured C a. To animal PHOTOSNIDEOS TAKEN: X YES 0 NO O 3. Out of Habitat C b. To public PhotoNideo Disposition:

CO4. Deemed Releasable 0 8. Unknown/CBD One photo is enclosed with the report.

O 5. Abandoned/Orphaned 0 9.Other 0 6. Inaccessible CARCASS STATUS (Check one or more) 0 1. Left at Site N 4. Towed: Lat Long_ __ 5 7. Landfill TAG DATA Tags Were: 5 2. Buried C 5. Sunk: Lat Long __ E58. Unknown Present at Time of Stranding (Pre-existing): C YES 0 NO 0 3. Rendered C 6. Frozen for Later Examination 0 9. Other Applied during Stranding Response: C YES 0 NO SPECIMEN DISPOSITION (Check one or more)

ID# Color Type Placement* Applied Present 0 1. Scientific collection C 2. Educational collection (Cirde ONE)

D DF L 0 0 DO3. Other. Towed offshore LF LR RF RR Comments:

D DF L 0 C_

_________________LF LR RF RR NECROPSIED X NO 5 YES C Limited 5l Complete D DF L 0 C LF LR RF RR 5 Carcass Fresh C 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; OMB No.0648-0178; Expires 01/31/2014 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)

The sea lion carcass was found against the 2-6 bar rack in the Diablo Canyon Power Plant (DCPP) intake structure.

It had apparently died nearby, and drifted onto the bar rack in the intake flow. The carcass was removed by divers, photographed, and towed offshore where it was released. There was no indication of an adverse impact to the animal attributable to power plant operations.

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. NOTWITHSTANDING 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; OMB No. 0648-0178; Expires 01/31/2014