ML17163A345

NRR E-mail Capture - (External_Sender) May 2017 FPL Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Report

ML17163A345
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	06/06/2017
From:	Weege S - No Known Affiliation
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, Division of License Renewal
References
Download: ML17163A345 (10)

Text

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

Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2017 1:52 PM To: Meghan Koperski Cc: Ed Hollowell; Jodie Gless; John Jones; Ken Frehafer; Marine Turtle Permit; Michael Bresette; EndangeredSpecies Resource; SCO@dep.state.fl.us; Vince Munne; Cody Mott; Jeff Guertin; Ryan Welsh; debbie.spring@noaa.gov; Eaton, Kristin; Jonathan Gorham; Terri.Taylor@fpl.com; William.Nurnberger@fpl.com; Audra Livergood - NOAA Federal

Subject:

[External_Sender] May 2017 FPL Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Report Attachments: May 2017 Marine Turtle Captures.pdf; Monthly Report Notes 2017.pdf; FPL St. Lucie Capture Summary 2017.pdf; Power Plant Causal Turtles.pdf Mrs. Meghan Koperski Tequesta Field Laboratory 19100 SE Federal Highway Tequesta, FL 33469

Subject:

Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Summary May 2017

Dear Meghan,

Attached, please find the monthly summary of marine turtle removals for May 2017. This month, we captured thirty-three (33) Caretta caretta and seven (7) Chelonia mydas in the intake canal of the St. Lucie power plant on Hutchinson Island. No sea turtles were sent for rehabilitation and there was only one mortality recorded during the month of May. 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.

There was one non-causal mortality this month. On the morning of May 19th, a moderately decomposed juvenile green turtle was recovered from atop the permanent 5-inch barrier net. The turtle was bloated and too decomposed to necropsy. No tail length could be taken due to state of decomposition. The turtle was buried above the dune after consultation with FWC. This animal was presumed to have been entrained postmortem and was thereby considered non-causal.

Net inspections were also performed during the month of May. On the 30th, Underwater Engineering Services performed the quarterly net inspections on the barrier nets within the intake canal system (specifically, the 5-inch, 8-inch A-1-A, and 10-inch U.I.D.S. nets). The primary 5-inch barrier net was cleaned of all debris and algae during the inspection period. The 8-inch net has begun to degrade and is scheduled for replacement. No holes were found in any of the barrier nets during the quarterly net inspections.

Throughout the month, the permanent 5-inch barrier net experienced moderate loads of algae and only negligible amounts of jellyfish. Overall, the barrier net has performed as designed and no turtles have been observed beyond the 5-inch net.

1

The tag numbers and morphometric data for all turtles captured during the month have been included with this report (see attachments/addendums). Also included is a spreadsheet for all captures, mortalities, injuries, and causal events delineated by species and by month for 2017. In addition, this spreadsheet tracks 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 2004.

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

Hearing Identifier: NRR_PMDA Email Number: 3561 Mail Envelope Properties (CAJrYmh9og4+LVWYOVm8KT1g7ELFRBBgPaMyeQKz44iyhhd4yhg)

Subject:

[External_Sender] May 2017 FPL Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Report Sent Date: 6/6/2017 1:52:04 PM Received Date: 6/6/2017 1:52:13 PM From: Steve Weege Created By: steveweege@gmail.com Recipients:

"Ed Hollowell" <Ed.Hollowell@fpl.com>

Tracking Status: None "Jodie Gless" <Jodie_Gless@fpl.com>

Tracking Status: None "John Jones" <John.Jones@fpl.com>

Tracking Status: None "Ken Frehafer" <Ken_Frehafer@fpl.com>

Tracking Status: None "Marine Turtle Permit" <MTP@myfwc.com>

Tracking Status: None "Michael Bresette" <mbresette@inwater.org>

Tracking Status: None "EndangeredSpecies Resource" <EndangeredSpecies.Resource@nrc.gov>

Tracking Status: None "SCO@dep.state.fl.us" <SCO@dep.state.fl.us>

Tracking Status: None "Vince Munne" <Vince.Munne@fpl.com>

Tracking Status: None "Cody Mott" <cmott@inwater.org>

Tracking Status: None "Jeff Guertin" <jguertin@gmail.com>

Tracking Status: None "Ryan Welsh" <rwelsh@inwater.org>

Tracking Status: None "debbie.spring@noaa.gov" <debbie.spring@noaa.gov>

Tracking Status: None "Eaton, Kristin" <Kristin.Eaton@fpl.com>

Tracking Status: None "Jonathan Gorham" <jgorham@inwater.org>

Tracking Status: None "Terri.Taylor@fpl.com" <Terri.Taylor@fpl.com>

Tracking Status: None "William.Nurnberger@fpl.com" <William.Nurnberger@fpl.com>

Tracking Status: None "Audra Livergood - NOAA Federal" <audra.livergood@noaa.gov>

Tracking Status: None "Meghan Koperski" <Meghan.Koperski@myfwc.com>

Tracking Status: None Post Office: mail.gmail.com

Files Size Date & Time MESSAGE 2843 6/6/2017 1:52:13 PM May 2017 Marine Turtle Captures.pdf 80265 Monthly Report Notes 2017.pdf 58993 FPL St. Lucie Capture Summary 2017.pdf 80548 Power Plant Causal Turtles.pdf 89842 Options Priority: Standard Return Notification: No Reply Requested: No Sensitivity: Normal Expiration Date:

Recipients Received:

MARINE TURTLE REMOVALS ST. LUCIE PLANT INTAKE CANAL MAY 2017 Date Species Note Tag #'s SMCL SSCL CSCL CMCW SMCW SMPL Weight Method (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (kg) 5/6/2017 Caretta caretta MMA808/MMA809 70.6 72.3 75.8 72.9 61.0 54.7 55.7 North net 5/10/2017 Caretta caretta MMA810/MMA811 68.8 71.2 73.8 67.0 56.6 55.5 45.2 Hand capture 5/11/2017 Caretta caretta 1 MMA575/MMA576 64.0 64.7 69.5 67.2 53.2 49.3 38.7 Hand capture 5/11/2017 Caretta caretta MMA812/MMA813 66.9 68.3 71.0 70.3 55.4 53.8 44.4 Hand capture 5/14/2017 Caretta caretta 2 MMA814/MMA815 96.4 96.8 102.4 93.6 71.8 73.2 124.9 South net 5/18/2017 Caretta caretta MMA816/MMA817 76.9 78.0 82.6 76.2 57.9 60.0 70.2 North net 5/19/2017 Caretta caretta MMA818/MMA819 79.3 81.0 86.7 78.8 62.9 61.5 82.9 South net 5/19/2017 Caretta caretta 3 MMA820/MMA821 93.1 96.1 100.6 88.7 66.4 63.8 106.6 North net 5/19/2017 Caretta caretta MMA822/MMA823 65.3 66.9 73.4 72.0 53.0 50.2 38.5 North net 5/19/2017 Chelonia mydas 4 RCW170519-01 26.8 27.0 28.8 24.5 21.1 21.9 2.3 Barrier net 5/20/2017 Caretta caretta 5 MMA824/MMA825 70.2 71.0 76.0 68.7 55.7 53.1 46.1 South net 5/22/2017 Caretta caretta MMA826/MMA827 82.4 84.2 88.7 77.6 63.4 62.1 82.9 South net 5/22/2017 Caretta caretta 6 MMA828/MMA829 95.0 95.7 102.1 89.9 68.9 72.9 123.3 North net 5/23/2017 Caretta caretta 7 MMA830 103.1 104.1 109.7 101.4 80.0 77.0 167.1 North net 5/23/2017 Caretta caretta 8 MMA831/MMA832 88.0 89.9 97.5 92.2 70.6 68.9 114.1 North net

Date Species Note Tag #'s SMCL SSCL CSCL CMCW SMCW SMPL Weight Method (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (kg) 5/24/2017 Chelonia mydas 9 LLP424/MMA835 44.6 44.7 45.6 41.5 35.7 36.3 11.7 North net 5/24/2017 Caretta caretta MMA833/MMA834 61.7 63.1 67.2 64.8 53.3 49.8 34.0 North net 5/25/2017 Caretta caretta 10 MMA836/MMA837 85.8 87.5 91.3 85.0 67.4 66.7 101.9 Hand capture 5/27/2017 Caretta caretta MMA838/MMA839 79.0 81.6 86.0 79.6 62.3 61.5 77.5 North net 5/27/2017 Caretta caretta 11 MMA840/MMA841 91.4 91.9 97.4 92.2 71.8 73.0 117.5 South net 5/27/2017 Chelonia mydas MMA842/MMA843 63.3 64.0 66.5 60.6 50.8 53.1 32.6 South net 5/28/2017 Caretta caretta 12 MMA844/MMA845 91.5 92.5 97.6 92.4 73.7 71.5 131.3 North net 5/28/2017 Caretta caretta MMA846/MMA847 58.4 59.7 62.9 62.6 52.2 46.6 30.6 North net 5/28/2017 Caretta caretta MMA848/MMA849 80.5 83.2 86.9 84.4 65.7 66.5 95.3 North net 5/30/2017 Caretta caretta 13 MMA850/MMA851 92.2 93.4 98.8 89.4 71.6 72.2 109.6 North net 5/30/2017 Caretta caretta 14 MMA852/MMA853 86.3 86.7 92.8 84.1 67.7 65.2 97.5 Hand capture 5/30/2017 Chelonia mydas 15 MMA854/MMA855 91.4 91.8 95.0 92.9 74.3 73.4 103.1 Hand capture 5/30/2017 Caretta caretta MMA856/MMA857 66.9 67.6 72.0 66.4 53.6 51.6 41.0 Hand capture 5/30/2017 Caretta caretta 16 MMA858/MMA859 83.0 85.1 90.0 82.5 65.7 62.8 83.1 Hand capture 5/30/2017 Caretta caretta MMA860/MMA861 62.4 64.1 67.4 66.5 54.1 49.7 38.1 Hand capture 5/30/2017 Caretta caretta 17 MMA862/MMA863 89.7 91.0 96.3 84.9 67.8 68.0 106.6 Hand capture 5/30/2017 Caretta caretta 18 MMA864/MMA865 72.8 74.0 77.5 73.7 58.7 55.3 52.5 Hand capture 5/30/2017 Chelonia mydas 19 MMA866/MMA867 54.5 54.7 57.8 53.5 43.7 44.5 23.1 Hand capture 5/30/2017 Caretta caretta 20 MMA868/MMA869 89.3 88.5 94.4 88.1 69.1 67.0 103.5 North net 5/30/2017 Caretta caretta 21 MMA870/MMA871 91.7 92.8 98.0 84.4 67.0 68.8 111.1 North net

Date Species Note Tag #'s SMCL SSCL CSCL CMCW SMCW SMPL Weight Method (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (kg) 5/31/2017 Chelonia mydas 22 MMA872/MMA873 86.8 87.5 95.2 85.9 68.7 72.8 100.1 Hand capture 5/31/2017 Caretta caretta 23 MMA874/MMA875 96.1 96.4 102.0 89.4 71.3 72.8 133.4 Hand capture 5/31/2017 Chelonia mydas 24 MMA876/MMA877 88.9 89.1 93.6 86.6 70.9 70.9 84.3 Hand capture 5/31/2017 Caretta caretta MMA878/MMA879 72.5 74.1 77.5 74.8 59.8 57.5 50.8 Hand capture 5/31/2017 Caretta caretta MMA880/MMA881 67.6 68.0 72.2 72.0 56.9 52.1 42.8 Hand capture

NOTES

1. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 9/9/16 and 5/11/17.

2. Adult female. Tail length = 273 mm.

3. Adult male. Tail length = 410 mm.

4. DEAD (NON-CAUSAL MORTALITY). Stranding# RCW170519-01. Moderately decomposed juvenile green turtle found on the permanent 5-inch barrier net in the morning. Very bloated. Too decomposed to necropsy. No tail length could be taken due to state of decomposition. The turtle was buried above the dune after consultation with FWC.

5. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 2/27/09, 3/21/10 and 5/20/17. New Inconel tags inserted on this capture event.

6. Adult female. Tail length = 249 mm.

7. Adult female. Tail length = 275 mm. Necrotic tissue in process of healing on both front flippers, left eye and neck region. Turtle missing 20% from terminal end of right front flipper. Long gash in dorsal side of right front flipper with exposed bone. Consulted with FWC and Dr. Nancy Mettee, DVM prior to releasing this nesting female. Condition deemed fair.

8. Adult female. Tail length = 140 mm. Healing 42 cm break in posterior carapace.

9. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 9/26/10, 1/17/16 and 5/24/17.

10. Adult female. Tail length = 226 mm. Large mating scar on left side of neck.

11. Adult female. Tail length = 210 mm.

12. Adult female. Tail length = 200 mm.

13. Adult female. Tail length = 259 mm. Turtle missing 25% from terminal end of right front flipper (healed).

14. Adult female. Tail length = 219 mm.

15. Adult male. Tail length = 355 mm.

16. Adult female. Tail length = 224 mm.

17. Adult female. Tail length = 270 mm.

18. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 8/18/07, 8/21/07, 8/24/07, 9/2/07, 9/10/07, 10/25/07, 12/17/07, 1/25/08, 4/6/08, 4/30/08, 7/13/08, 8/24/08, 9/13/08, 10/6/08, 10/18/08, 4/17/09, 6/17/09, 8/13/09, 10/27/09, 6/11/10, 9/15/10, 9/15/11, 10/21/11, 11/30/11, 7/7/12, 3/20/13, 11/4/15, 12/27/16, 1/6/17 and 5/30/17.

19. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 8/5/08, 5/10/11, 6/13/11, 7/25/11, 7/7/12, 2/5/13, 3/20/13, 5/7/14, 1/3/15, 4/16/15, 6/15/15 and 5/30/17.

20. Adult female. Tail length = 224 mm.

21. Adult female. Tail length = 258 mm.

22. Adult female. Tail length = 179 mm.

23. Adult female. Tail length = 300 mm. Partially healed shark rakings on plastron and all four flippers.

Extensive flipper damage from shark attack and partially healed shark rakings across entire width of head.

24. Adult male. Tail length = 390 mm.

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 Hawksbills Leatherbacks Kemp's ridley (Caretta caretta) (Eretmochelys (Dermochelys (Chelonia mydas) imbricata) coriacea) (Lepidochelys kempii) Overall Totals Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to May-17 Date May-17 Date May-17 Date May-17 Date May-17 Date May-17 Date Captures 33 80 7 21 0 0 0 0 0 0 40 101 Causal Mortalities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Non-Causal Mortalities 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 Causal Injuries 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sent to Rehab 0 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Fresh Scrapes May-17 Date May-17 Date May-17 Date May-17 Date May-17 Date May-17 Date None 1 11 2 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 17 Minor 32 67 4 14 0 0 0 0 0 0 36 81 Moderate 0 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 Severe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Percent with Mod/Sev Scrapes 0.0% 2.5% 14.3% 4.8% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 2.5% 3.0%

Injury/MortalityTotals

StLuciePowerPlantCausalTurtles 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 **2017 bySpecies TotalCaptures 623 484 419 227 420 260 295 302 232 302 275 274 316 80 4,509 Loggerhead Injuries 0 1 *3 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 5 Mortalities 1 0 *21 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 3 TotalCaptures 286 428 267 101 299 161 444 217 127 197 134 181 159 21 3,022 Green Injuries 0 3 7 0 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 15 Mortalities 1 1 1 1 2 0 3 1 2 2 0 4 0 0 18 TotalCaptures 2 0 1 1 0 1 2 0 2 2 0 2 1 0 14 Leatherback Injuries 0 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 0 TotalCaptures 1 3 3 0 2 0 7 0 0 0 2 7 6 0 31 Kemp'sRidley Injuries 0 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 0 TotalCaptures 2 2 2 1 4 2 3 2 1 2 3 1 4 0 29 Hawksbill Injuries 0 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 0 Injury&MortalityYearlyTotals 2 5 32 1 5 3 5 1 3 3 0 4 1 0 65 TotalCapturesperYear 914 917 692 330 725 424 751 521 362 503 414 465 486 101 7,605

• Theloggerheadcausalinjuriesandmortalitiesin2006wereallhatchlings.

• • 2017isapartialyear.