ML18096A499

Summarizes 1991 Impingements by Threatened & Engangered Species at Circulating Water Structure Intake.Between 910605 & 0916,25 Sea Turtles Were Recovered.Three Shortnose Sturgion Were Recovered Between 911022 & 1106

ML18096A499
Person / Time
Site:	Salem
Issue date:	01/31/1992
From:	Thomson F Public Service Enterprise Group
To:	Coogan C COMMERCE, DEPT. OF, NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE
References
NLR-E92019, NUDOCS 9202060533
Download: ML18096A499 (6)

Text

• I Public Service Electric and Gas Company P.O. Box 236 Hancocks Bridge, New Jersey 08038 Nuclear Department CERTIFIED MAIL RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED Article Number: P632 875 735 JAN 3 1 1992 NLR-E92019 Ms. Colleen Coogan National Marine Fisheries Service Habitat Conservation Branch One Blackburn Drive Gloucester, MA 01930-2298 Ms. Coogan:

1991

SUMMARY

OF IMPINGEMENTS SALEM GENERATING STATION, UNIT NOS. 1 AND 2 DOCKET NO. 50-272 AND 50-311 The purpose of this document is to summarize the occurrence of threatened and endangered species, as listed in the Threatened and Endangered Species Act of 1972, at the Salem circulating water structure (CWS) intake during 1991.

At least three endangered and one threatened species are known to utilize the Delaware Bay in the vicinity of Artificial Island. The endangered species include one fish, the shortnose sturgeon and two sea turtles, Kemp's ridley and green. The single threatened species is the loggerhead sea turtle.

Under Sections 4.2.1 of Appendix B, Environmental Protection Plan, to the Operating Licenses for Salem and Hope Creek Generating Stations, Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) is required to notify the National Marine Fisheries Service in the event a threatened or endangered species is incidentally caught due to op~ration of the stations. Such an occurrence must also be reported to the NRC as a nonroutine event under Section 5.4.2 of the above mentioned Appendix.

During the summer months, June 1 through September 30, the trash bars at the Salem CWS intake are inspected every two hours for marine life and cleaned at least once per day. The Hope Creek service water structure (SWS) intake trash bars are inspected once per day and cleaned as necessary during this time period.

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The Energy People

--9202060533--920131 --- -- c----- 95-2168 (40M) 6-89 PDR ADOCK 05000272 R PDR

Document Control Desk 2 JAN 3 1 1992 NLR-E92019 SEA TURTLES The migration of sea turtles along the us east coast is well documented, including their occurrence in bays and channels. Sea turtles typically enter the Delaware Bay in late spring and begin their movement out to sea by late summer.

Between June 5 and September 16, 1991 twenty-five sea turtles were recovered from the cws trash bar area. They included twenty-three loggerheads, one green and one Kemp's ridley. One loggerhead was recovered dead and two loggerheads were recaptured.

Twenty-one of the turtles were released in the Delaware Bay and three were released off the coast of Brigantine NJ. Due to equipment failure, two turtles did not receive tags. All others were released with front flipper tags.

SHORTNOSE STURGEON Shortnose sturgeon are know to spawn upstream of Artificial Island and migrate throughout the bay during different life stages. A limited sample of eight shortnose sturgeon reported in the vicinity of Artificial Island between 1978 and 1991 is too small to draw conclusions as to migration patterns in the Artificial Island area.

Between October 22 and November 6, three shortnose sturgeon were recovered from the Salem CWS intake. The first two were dead upon recovery. The third, recovered alive, was in a state of apparent high stress and died several hours later. All samples were preserved and donated to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. , provides some statistics on the sea turtles and shortnose sturgeon occurring at the Salem CWS intake in 1991.

FACTORS RELATING TO IMPINGEMENT Our records show that, to date, 1991 represents the highest occurrence of sea turtles and shortnose sturgeon at the Salem CWS intake. Several factors were evaluated to determine if any observable significant difference occurred in 1991 to influence sea turtle and/or shortnose sturgeon attraction.

Document Control Desk 3 JAN 3 l 1992 NLR-E92019 A qualitative comparison assessing similarities in temperature and salinity data was performed for years 1986 through 1991.

Although 1991 appeared slightly higher overall, similar measurements were recorded in late summer 1986 when only one turtle was collected. No conclusions can be drawn from this assessment.

The primary food source available to sea turtles in the Delaware Bay is blue crabs and horseshoe crabs. Around Artificial Island, bottom trawl studies show horseshoe crabs to be rare occurrences, however, the blue crab supports a profitable fishery. Interviews with local fishermen revealed no significant increase in the blue crab catch during the 1991 season. Thus it appears that prey density would not have led to an increase in the numbers of turtles foraging in the vicinity of Artificial Island.

During the time of the first two sturgeon occurrences, a gillnet fisherman was observed actively fishing the north end of Artificial Island. A local gillnet fisherman has reportedly seen an increase in the total sturgeon population, although he did not distinguish between atlantic and shortnose.

No obvious single factor can be attributed to the increase of threatened and endangered species during 1991. More likely it is the result of a combination of factors, involving such aspects as species population, prey populations, habitat preference, and water chemistry.

If you have any questions concerning this material please do not hesitate to call.

Sincerely,

~/~f F. X. Thomson, Jr.

Manager -

Licensing and Regulation Attachment

Document Control Desk 4 JAN '.3 1 .1992 NLR-E92019 C U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Document Control Desk Washington, DC 20555 Mr. J. C. Stone Licensing Project Manager Mr. T. Johnson Senior Resident Inspector Mr. T. Martin, Administrator Region I Mr. Kent Tosch, Chief New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Environmental Quality Bureau of Nuclear Engineering

• cN 415 Trenton, NJ 08625 Mr. Richard Delgado NJ Department of Environmental Protection

.J ATTACHMENT 1 1991 SEA TURTLE DATA DATE OF CSL csw WEIGHT RECOVERY RELEASE OCCURANCE (cm) (cm) (kg) STATUS LOCATION KEMP'S RIDLEY 06/27/91 26.4 25.3 2.72 LIVE Delaware River GREEN 09/16/91 37.8 32.1 8.16 LIVE Delaware River LOGGERHEAD 06/05/91 49.5 41.9 20.41 LIVE Delaware River 06/11/91 46.8 15.9 LIVE Delaware River 06/15/91 70.1 31.75 LIVE Brigantine coast 06/23/91 46.4 18.03 LIVE Delaware River 06/24/91 49.4 DEAD 06/27/91 57.4 29.48 LIVE Delaware River 07/01/91 57.3 32.55 LIVE Brigantine coast 07/03/91 51.5 23.93 LIVE Delaware River 07/04/91 44.2 38.9 15.76 LIVE Delaware River 07/07/91 52.9 46.9 27.1 LIVE Delaware River 07/09/91 50.9 44.5 20.4 LIVE Delaware River 07/09/91 58.8 47.9 31.64 LIVE Brigantine coast 07/11/91 44.6 39.3 15.76 LIVE Delaware River 07/20/91 47 41 15.88 LIVE Delaware River 07/23/91 49.5 43.9 19.28 LIVE Delaware River 07/25/91 51.1 48.3 25.86 LIVE Delaware River 08/01/91 48.9 41 19.05 LIVE Delaware River 08/01/91 39.4 33.9 8.62 LIVE Delaware River 08/07/91 46.5 40.5 17.27 LIVE Delaware River 08/24/91 53.9 46.4 23.1 LIVE *

+ Delaware River 09/08/91 46.4 38.6 16.33 LIVE Delaware River 09/09/91 56.8 48.2 28.58 LIVE Delaware River 09/10/91 49.7 43.1 19.96 LIVE Delaware River TOTAL TURTLES: n = 25 STATISTICS FOR LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLES:

TOTAL: n = 23 For n = 20 For n = 14 (TOTAL minus dead; o:r:ily second (TOTAL minus dead; minus those measurement on recaptures) w/out width; only second measurement on recaptures)

Mean CSL = 51. 2 cm.

Mean Weight = 22.0 kg. Mean CSL = 49.6 cm.

Mean csw = 42.9 cm.

Mean Weight = 20.6 kg.

• = Recapture of 7/11/91 turtle

+ = Recapture of first 7/9/91 turtle.

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1991 SHORTNOSE STURGEON DATA DATE OF FORK LENGTH TOTAL LENGTH WEIGHT RECOVERY OCCURANCE (cm) (cm) (kg) STATUS 10/22/91 72.0 78.2 4.05 DEAD 10/28/91 74.3 82.8 2.65 DEAD 11/06/91 66.8 80.2 2.90 ALIVE *

• This animal was in an apparent state of high stress when recovered and died several hours later.