ML20076L554

Assessment of Impacts of Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station on Kemp Ridley & Loggerhead Sea Turtles

ML20076L554
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Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	10/31/1994
From:	GENERAL PUBLIC UTILITIES CORP.
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l AME55 MENT OF THE IMPACTS OF THE 015TER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION ON KEMP'S RIDLEY (EnWchrivs kemoll) AND LOGGERHEAD (Caretto caren.a) SEA TURTLES PREPARED BY OYTIER CREEKEM7RONMEhTAL CONTROLS GPUNUC1 EAR CORPORADON 9411030334 941028 PDR P ADOCK 050002.19 PDR

-ASSESSMENT OF THE IMPACTS OF THE OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION ON KEMP'S RIDLEY (Lepidochelys kempi.1)

AND LOGGERHEAD (Caretta caretta) SEA TURTLES Prepared by GPU Nuclear Corporation October 1994 I

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Section Pace No.

1.0 Summary and Conclusions............................. 1-1 2.0 Introduction........................................ 2-1 2.1 Purpose........................................ 2-1 2.2 Endangered Species Act......................... 2-1 2.3 Chronology of Events Leading Up To This Assessment... ....... ................ 2-1 3.0 Site Description.................................... 3-1 3.1 Location....................................... 3-1 3.2 Barnegat Bay Morphology and Bathymetry......... 3-1 3.3 Hydrology of Barnegat Bay...................... 3-2 3.3.1 Influence of Barnegat Inlet Modifications on Barnegat Bay '

Hydrology............................ 3-2 3.4 Barnegat Bay Salinity.......................... 3-3 3.5 Water Temperature in Barnegat Bay.............. 3-3 3.6 Water Transparency in Barnegat Bay............. 3-4 4.0 Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Description......................................... 4-1 4.1 Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station........ 4-1 4.1.1 Circulating Water System............. 4-1 4.1.1.1 Circulating Water System Intake Structure..................... 4-2 .

4.1.1.1.1 Trash Bars and Trash Rake Assembly..... 4-2 4.1.1.1.2 Traveling Screens.................... 4-3 4.1.1.1.3 Circulating Water Pumps..............

4-4 4.1.1.1.4 Sea Turtle Retrieval / Rescue Equipment............................ 4-4 4.1.1.1.5 Other Equipment...................... 4-5 4.1.1.2 Condensers........................... 4-5 4.1.2 Dilution Water System................ 4-5 4.1.2.1 Dilution Water System Intake Structure..................... 4-6 4.1.2.1.1 Trash Bars........................... 4-6 4.1.2.1.2 Other Equipment...................... 4-6 4.1.3 Thermal Plume Studies................ 4-6 5.0 Information on Sea Turtle Species 5.1 General Sea Turtle Information................. 5-1 5.2 Loggerhead (Caretta caretta)................... 5-3 5.2.1 Description.......................... 5-3 5.2.2 Distribution......................... 5-3 5.2.3 Food................................. 5-4 5.2.4 Nesting.............................. 5-4 5.2.5 Population Size...................... 5-5 5.3 Kemp's Ridley (Lepidochelvs kempii)............ 5-6 5.3.1 Description.......................... 5-6 5.3.2 Distribution......................... 5-6 5.3.3 Food................................. 5-7 i

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5.3.4 Nesting.............................. 5-7 5.3.5 Population Size...................... 5-7 5.4 Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas).................. 5-8 5.4.1 Description.......................... 5-8 5.4.2 Distribution......................... 5-9 5.4.3 Food................................. 5-9 5.4.4 Nesting.............................. 5-9 5.4.5 Population Size...................... 5-9 5.5 Leatherback Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)......................... 5-9 5.5.1 Description.......................... 5-9 5.5.2 Distribution......................... 5-10 5.5.3 Food................................. 5-10 5.5.4 Nesting.............................. 5-10 5.5.5 Population Size...................... 5-10 5.6 Sea Turtles In Coastal Waters of New Jersey........................... 5-11 5.6.1 Sea Turtles in Barnegat Bay.......... 5-11 6.0 Onsite Information.................................. 6-1 6.1 Occurrence of Sea T ?rtles at Oyster Creek Nuclet- Generating Station........ 6-1 6.1.1 Details of Incidental Captures at OCNGS.................... 6-1 6.1.1.1 Incidental Capture of June 25, 1992........................ 6-1 6.1.1.2 Incidental Captures of September 9 and 11, 1992............. 6-2 6.1.1.3 Incidental Capture of October 26, 1992..................... 6-2 6.1.1.4 Incidental Capture of October 17, 1993..................... 6-3 6.1.1.5 Incidental Capture of June 19, 1994........................ 6-4 6.1.1.6 Incidental Capture of July 1,_ 1994......................... 6-4 6.1.1.7 Incidental Capture of July 6, 1994......................... 6-4 6.1.1.8 Incidental Capture of July 12, 1994........................ 6-5 6.1.2 Annual Comparison.................... 6-5 6.1.3 Species Composition.................. 6-6 6.1.4 Seasonal Distribution of Occurrences.......................... 6-6 6.1.5 condition of Turtles Captured at Intake Structures....... ......... 6-6 11

Section Pace No.

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7.0 Assessment of Present Operations................... 7-1 7.1 Impacts of Continued Operation of  ;

Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station on Sea '

Turtle Populations............................. 7-1 7.1.1 Impacts Due to Incidental' Capture (Impingement) of Turtles on Circulating Water System and Dilution Water System Intake Trash Racks................... 7-1 7.1.1.1 Assessment of Impact on Loggerhead Sea Turtle Populations.......................... 7-2  ;

7.1.1.2 Assessment of Impact on  ;

Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Populations.......................... 7-2 ,

7.2 Other Potential Station Impacts on Sea Turtles.................................... 7-3 -

7.2.1 Acute Thermal Effects................ 7-3 7.2.2 Chronic Thermal Effects.............. 7-4 7.2.3 Cold Shock........................... 7-4 7.2.4 Biocides............................. 7-5 7.3 Mitigating Measures............................ 7-5 t 7.3.1 Sea Turtle Surveillance and Handling............................. 7-6 7.3.1.1 Surveillance of Circulating Water System and Dilution Water System ,

Intakes.............................. 7-6  !

7.3.1.2 Special Precautions During Trash Rack Cleaning........................ 7-7 i 7.3.1.3 Actions Taken if a Sea Turtle is Observed............................. 7-7 7.3.1.4 Sea Turtle Handling and .

Resuscitation........................ 7-7 <

7.4 Notification and Reporting of .

Incidental Captures............................ 7-8 7.5 Discussion of General Impacts on Sea Turtle Populations...................... 7-8 8.0 References..................................... 8-1 Appendix I. Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Sea Turtle Surveillance, Handling, and Reporting Instructions for Operations Personnel.

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SECTION 1.0 ,

SUMMARY

AND CONCLUSIONS 1 This " biological assessment" was prepared by GPU Nuclear Corporation (GPUN) for submittal to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the National Marine Fisheries Service to comply _with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (the Act). The purpose of this assessment is to examine the potential impacts associated with the continued operation of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generation Station (OCNGS) on sea turtle species protected under the Act.

OCNGS is located along the western shore of Barnegat Bay between '

the South Branch of Forked River and Oyster Creek, in Ocean County, New Jersey. Monthly mean salinity values observed in western Barnegat Bay near OCNGS vary seasonally from approximately 18.5 ppt to over 28 ppt. Monthly mean ambient water temperatures in this portion of the Bay range from a winter mean of 1*C (33.8*F) to approximately 28'C (82.4*F) during the summer (Kennish and Lutz, 1984).

OCNGS consists of a single boiling water nuclear reactor with an electrical capacity of.approximately 650 megawatts. When OCNGS is in operation, water flows from Barnegat Bay into Forked River and OCNGS, where some of the flow is used to cool the powerplant condensers. Heated water discharged from OCNGS flows. eastward in Oyster Creek back into Barnegat Bay.

OCNGS has two water intake structures, the circulating water system intake and the dilution water system intake. During normal operation, the circulating water system moves approximately 1740 m / min (0.46 million gpm) of water through the main condensers for cooling purposes. Additionally, up to two dilution pumps (each with a 984 m 2 / min or 0.26 million gpm capacity) divert water from i the intake canal to the discharge canal to reduce the temperature ,

of the circulating water discharge (Kennish, 1978). Both intakes '

utilize trash bars to remove debris from the water. ~ The 1 circulating water system intake has vertical traveling screens which have been the modified with Ristroph fish buckets and a fish ,

return system. l l

Four species of sea turtles have been reported from coastal New l Jersey waters. These sea turtle species are: loggerhead (Caretta caretta), Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kemoii), ]

green turtle (Chelonia mvdas), and leatherback (Dermochelvs coriacea). Two of these sea turtles species, Kemp's ridley and leatherback, are listed as endangered and two, the loggerhead and green turtle, are listed as threatened. Only the loggerhead and Kemp's ridley 1-1 )

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t turtles have been captured at the OCNGS.

-l The loggerhead sea turtle is the most common sea turtle in the l coastal waters of the United States and occurs in many other l

locations throughout the world. Population numbers along the south Atlantic Coast (North Carolina to Florida) have been estimated at 387,594 turtles (NMFS 1987). The loggerhead population in the l southeast is considered to be stable by most investigators but the l population is threatened by reductions in nesting and foraging  !

habitat due to the continued development of coastal areas and I losses resulting from incidental capture in shrimp trawls. An j estimated 5,000 to 50,000 turtles .have been lost annually from 1 trawling without the use of turtle exclusion devices (TED's) (PMFS 1991a). 1 The Kemp's ridley is the most endangered of the sea turtle species.

There is only a single known colony of this species, almost all of which nest near Rancho Nuevo, Mexico and represent the world population for this species. The population level has been i estimated at 2,200 turtles (M&rquez 1989). The ridley population j is also Lapacted by coastal development and shrimp trawling. l Incidental take by the shrimp industry has been identified as the '

largest source of mortality (between 500 and 5,000 killed annually) for L. kemoli (Magnuson et al. 1990). However, subsequent to the implementation of the NMFS TED regulations in 1989, strandings of drowned sea turtles have been dramatically lower and nesting activity has increased (Crouse et al. 1992).

Sea turtles have been observed and incidentally captured at OCNGS during 1992 through 1994, but were never captured during more than 10 years of field sampling associated with the station since 1969.

Their scarcity in Barnegat Bay is largely attributable to the fact that access to the bay is extremely limited. The only direct l access to Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean is via a single, narrow inlet, approximately 300 m (1,000 ft) wide.

Only eight sea turtles have been impinged at OCNGS during more than 24 years of operation. At the circulating water intake, three live loggerheads and one live Kemp's ridley were captured. Two loggerheads, apparently dead on arrival due to boat prop wounds, and three Kemp's ridleys, recently deceased, were collected from the dilution water intake. One of the dead Kemp's ridleys l apparently drowned on the trash bars. The cause of death of the other two Kemp's ridleys is unknown, pending the completion of necropsies, but may have been the result of drowning. All specimens captured at OCNGS were subadults or juveniles.

l The occurrence of eight sea turtles at the OCNGS during 1992, 1993 and 1994, although none had Scan observed before despite intensive sampling ef forts, may be attributable to at least two factors.

Modifications to Barnegat Inlet, completed in 1991, have resulted in significant increases in the depth of the inlet and the volume of water passing through the inlet during each tidal exchange.

These changes may have made Barnegat Bay more accessible to sea turtles migrating up the Atlantic coast. In addition, sea turtle 1-2

population levels may have increased as a result of the implementation of the NMFS TED regulations in 1989.

It remains to be seen whether or not the changes to Barnegat Inlet will be permanent or, as has happened in the past, shoaling will occur over time, reducing access to Barnegat Bay via the inlet.

Similarly, additional data on sea turtle populations and commercial fishing by-catch must be gathered in order to fully evaluate the offectivenens of the TED regulations on reducing sea turtle mortality.

The primary concern with sea turtles at OCNGS is whether or not any station related losses of these endangered or threatened species

" jeopardizes their continued existence." Federal regulation defines this term as engaging in an action that reasonably would be expected, directly or indirectly, to reduce appreciably the likelihood of both the survival and recovery of the listed species in the wild by reducing the reproduction, numbers, or distribution of that species." A comparison was made of sea turtle losses at OCNGS, assuming worst case losses, with population estimates for both species. This worst case estimate of losses includes turtles that died prior to becoming impinged at the OCNGS intake as well as turtles captured alive at OCNGS and returned to the wild.

Calculated accordingly, the maximum, estimated, annual loss of loggerheads at the station is three turtles, which represents approximately 0.0008 percent of the population in the southeast U.S. The estimated, worst-case annual loss of Kemp's ridleys at OCNGS is three turtles, which would represent 0.14 percent of the population. It is unlikely that losses at these levels would

" appreciably reduce" the distribution or numbers of either species.

Losses to reproduction would be restricted to " production foregone" due to the loss of juvenile /subadult animals which could potentially be recruited into the breeding population at some time I in the future. l Thermal impacts from the operation of OCNGS, such as acute and I chronic thermal impacts and coldshock, are not a concern. The thermal effluent from the station forms only a shallow thermal ,

plume within Barnegat Bay. Both species of sea turtles, which have strong swimming ability, can avoid thermally affected areas which exceed their temperature preferences. In addition, no sea turtles have ever been observed within the discharge canal.

In order to minimize the impact of OCNGS operations on threatened or endangered sea turtles, a variety of measures have been .

instituted to ensure their timely removal from the intake j structures and optimize their chances for survival. Instructions hcve been developed for station personnel which define the surveillance, handling and reporting requirements necessary to minimize the impact on sea turtles incidentally captured at the OCNGS. These instructions call for the inspection of the intake structures for the presence of sea turtles at least twice per 8-hour shift throughout the sea turtle season. This represents a doubling of the frequency of intake structure inspections previously specified. Guidance on the identification, handling, 1-3

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I and resuscitation of sea turtles is also included in the l instructions and large color posters, which ; illustrate the l distinguishing features of sea turtles, resuscitation techniques, and reporting requirements, are prominently posted at the intake structures. Custom-made dipnets and a lift net designed to facilitate the gentle removal of sea turtles from the intake are stored at the-intake structures during the sea turtle season. The instructions also include precautions to be taken during routine cleaning of the intake trash bars to ensure that any sea turtles mixed in with the accumulated debris are removed and properly handled.

In summary, GPUN concludes that the continued operation of OCNGS I will not jeopardize the continued existence- of either the )

loggerhead or Kemp's ridley sea turtle. The estimated losses of i these species attributable to the operation of the station, particularly the water intakes, will not " appreciably reduce" the distribution or numbers of.either species. Losses to reproduction would be restricted to " production foregone" due to the loss of juvenile or subadult animals which could potentially be recruited into the breeding female population in the future. .

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SECTION

2.0 INTRODUCTION

.2.1 PURPOSE This " biological assessment" is submitted to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) by GPU Nuclear Corporation'(GPUN) in compliance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (as amended) (the Act).

The purpose of this assessment is to examine the potential impacts associated with the continued operation of GPUN's Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station (OCNGS) on sea turtle species protected under the Act. The primary species of concern are the Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kemoii) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles, both of which have been captured on the circulating water or dilution intake trash bars at OCNGS. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, " List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants,"

lists the status of the Kemp's ridley sea turtle as endangered and the loggerhead sea turtle as threatened (50 CFR 17.11). The Atlantic green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the leatherback turtle (Dermochelys coriacea) are also listed as endangered in U.S. waters and are known to occur in New Jersey waters, but have not been observed at OCNGS. The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has jurisdiction for these species (50 CFR 222.23(a) and 50 CFR 227.4(b)).

2.2 ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT This " biological assessment" is part of the formal consultation process provided under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act.

Datailed procedures for this consultation process are defined in 50 CFR 402.

2.3 CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS ASSESSMENT A review of the sea turtle strandings at OCNGS was recently requested in a letter from the NMFS to the NRC in November 1993 (Mantzaris 1993). This letter followed communications between GPUN, NRC and NMFS regarding the capture of sea turtles at OCNGS during 1992 in spite of OCNGS having operated for many years (1969-1991) prior to any being taken.

The issue of sea turtles at OCNGS was initially addressed in 1992 when sea turtles were first observed at the station's circulating water and dilution structure intake trash bars. The matter was discussed jointly by GPUN, NRC, and NMFS (informal Section 7 review). Subsequent to an additional sea turtle being captured in 1993, NMFS advised NRC that a formal consultation process including preparation of a Biological Assessment would be required (Mantzaris 2-1

i 1993). GPU Nuclear requested'that they be authorized to prepare - I the Biological Assessment.

This document is GPUN's " Assessment of the Impacts of the Oyster 1 Creek Nuclear Generating Station on Kemp's ridley ' (LeDidochelys l kemoli) and Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) Sea Turtles."

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SECTION 3.0 SITE DESCRIPTION 3.1 LOCATION

.GPUN's Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station is located along the castern edge of the coastal pine barrens of New Jersey in Lacey and Figure 3-1) . The plant site is part Ocean Townships,5.73 of approximately Ocean County x 10' m ((1,416 acres) of land owned by Jersey Central Power and Light Company. The OCNGS site is located to the west of U.S. Route 9, and is bounded on the north by the South Branch of Forked River and on the south by Oyster Creek. Barnegat Bay forms the eastern site boundary and the Garden State Parkway the western site boundary (Figure 3-2) . The power plant structures are situated approximately midway between Oyster Creek and the South Branch of Forked River and about 425 meters (1,394 ft) west of Route 9.

The station site is approximately ,55 km (34 mi) north of Atlantic City, New Jersey and 70 km (44 mi) east of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Approximately 15 km (9 mi) north of the site are several small residential communities: Toms River, South Toms River, Beachwood, Pine Beach, Ocean Gate, Island Heights and Gilford Park. West of the Garden State Parkway the land is primarily undeveloped woodland, and wooded wetlands are found along the banks of small creeks to the north, south and west of the site.

Ecst of the station along the shoreline of Barnegat Bay, the land is characterized by alternating sections of residential development and undeveloped coastal wetlands and adjacent uplands. The terrain surrounding the site is relatively flat along the shoreline to  ;

gently rolling inland. "

3.2 BARNEGAT BAY MORPHOLOGY AND BATHYMETRY l l

The OCNGS utilizes Barnegat Bay as a source of cooling water, via the south branch of Forked River, and the bay serves as the receiving water body for thermal discharges, via Oyster Creek l (Figure 3-2). Barnegat Bay is a shallow, lagoon-type estuary l typical of the back bay systems of barrier island coastlines. The '

long axis of Barnegat Bay extends approximately 50 km (31 mi) in roughly a north-south direction and parallels the mainland, forming i an irregular tidal basin ranging from 1 to 6 km (0.6 - 3.7 mi) in l width and 0.3 to 6 m (1 - 20 ft) in depth (Kennish and Olsson 1975; l Kennish 1978). The bay is bordered on the west by the New Jersey mainland, on the north by Point Pleasant and Bay Head, on the east by Island Beach and Long Beach Island, and on the south by Manahawkin Causeway. Island Beach and Long Beach Island comprise l a barrier island complex breached only at Barnegat Inlet, which is located 10.5 km (6.5 mi) southeast of OCNGS. This single, i relatively narrow inlet, provides the only direct access to the bay l from the Atlantic Ocean (Figure 3-1). l 3-1 4

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l- The surface area and volume of Barnegat Bay have been estimated to be 1. 67 x 10' m2 (64.5 square miles) and 2.38 x 10' m2 ( 8. 40 x 10' l f t'), respectively (U.S. Atomic Energy Commission 1974 ) . About 73% 1 of the estuary is less than 2 m.(6.6 ft) deep at mean low water, which is characteristic of lagoon-barrier island, systems (Barnes  !

1980). The bay's eastern perimeter is shallower (less than 0.9 m-or 3.0 ft) than the central and western sectors which are 0.9 to 4.0 m (3.0 - 13.0 ft) deep, with extensive shoal areas exposed at i low tide (Chizmadia et al. 1984). The greatest depths of 3 to 4 m (10 -

13 ft) occur along the Intracoastal Waterway, a narrow  !

channel traversing the length of the bay. The Intracoastal l Waterway is heavily utilized by both recreational boaters and commercial fishing boats, and is maintained at a depth of approximately 2 m (6.6 ft) for navigation purposes by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Marcellus 1972). l 3.3 HYDROLOGY OF BARNEGAT BAY l

The bay communicates with Manahawkin Bay to the south and, via the ,

Bay Head-Manasquan Canal, with the Manasquan River to the north j (Chizmadia et al. 1984). The primary exchange of ocean and bay water occurs through Barnegat Inlet, where Carpenter (1963) estimated an exchange rate of 7% per tide and a net discharge rate of 56.7 m'/sec (2,002 ft 3/sec).

The salinity regime and circulation patterns within the bay are l affected by the inflow of relatively high salinity waters l originating in the Atlantic Ocean which enter the northern and '

central bay via the Bay Head-Manasquan Canal and Barnegat Inlet, respectively. Because the proportion of bay water which escapes seaward each tidal cycle is relatively small, Chizmadia et al. l (1984) estimate that 96 tidal cycles are required for complete turnover of estuarine water to take place. Marcellus (1972) reported a mean tidal current through Barnegat Inlet of 1.1 m/sec (3.6 ft/sec) during flood tide and 1.3 m/sec (4.3 ft/sec) during ebb tide. Ashley (1988) measured peak flood tide flow velocities {

of 1.1 m/sec (3.6 ft/sec) and peak ebb velocities of 1.0 m/sec (3.3 '

ft/sec). 4 3.3.1 INFLUENCE OF BARNEGAT INLET MODIFICATIONS ON BARNEGAT BAY HYDROLOGY Beginning in 1988, a multi-year project by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was undertaken to re-align the south jetty at Barnegat Inlet and to dredge accumulated sedimerts from within the inlet. I The new alignment of the inlet's south jetty so that it is nearly parallel to the north jetty was completed in 1991. The new jetty ,

configuration has not changed the effective width of the inlet, '

which remains approximately 300 meters (1000 ft) wide, through ,

which Atlantic Ocean waters can enter Barnegat Bay. The mean tidal  !

range at Darnegat Inlet was reported by Ashley (1988) to be '

approximately 0.6 m (2 ft) prior to the jetty modifications, and the tide range became progressively damped in a landward direction. I The small size of Barnegat Inlet and the shallowness of the bay both restrict tidal flow and attenuate tidal energy, thereby 3-2 l l

minimizing tidal fluctuations. The depth of the inlet was cignificantly increased via dredging recently, which permits a -

freer. interchange of ocean and bay waters. The ;ess restricted

' tidal flow due to recent dredging and . jetty modifications has r:sulted in a significantly greater volume of water passing through ,

Bnrnegat Inlet during a given tidal cycle (Table 3-1) . Preliminary U.S. Army Corps of Engineers data indicate that the average tidal prism has more than doubled since completion of the modifications, cnd the mean tide range at Barnegat Inlet has increased by over 30%

(Gebert 1994).

3.4 BARNEGAT BAY SALINITY Maximum Barnegat Bay salinities of over 30 ppt are found near Barnegat Inlet due to the input of Atlantic Ocean water. Most freshwater, however, enters the estuary from surface runoff and ground water seepage along the western shore of the bay (Chizmadia et al. 1984). Several tributaries which drain the New Jerse Barrens provide a mean surface runoff uf 10.2 m /sec (360 ft'y/sec).

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Toms River provides the greatest freshwater input (5.7 m 3/sec; 201 ft 3/sec) to the estuary, and Cedar Creek provides an additional 3.1 m'/sec (110 ft '/sec) (U.S. Atomic Energy Commission 1974).

Other significant tributaries of the bay include the Metedeconk River, Kettle Creek, Forked River, Oyster Creek, and Manahawkin Creek (Figure 3-1). The freshwater input from these tributaries creates a slight salinity gradient from west to east. The salinity .

of the central bay, in the vicinity of the OCNGS, is typically '

cbout 25 ppt (Chizmadia et al. 1984).

A relatively pronounced salinity gradient occurs along the north-couth axis of the bay due to the freshwater input of Pine Barrens streams in the northwestern portion and the location of Barnegat Inlet in the southern portion of the bay (Figure 3-3). Relatively high salinity waters entering the northernmost section of the bay through the Bay Head-Manasquan Canal result in elevated salinities in that portion of the bay (Chizmadia et al. 1984).

3.5 WATER TEMPERATURE IN BARNEGAT BAY Barnegat Bay is a meteorological transition zone between the continent and the ocean. The temperature extremes of both the cummer and winter seasons are mo'derated within the bay by the proximity of the ocean. On an average annual basis, the warmest months of the year are July and August, and the coldest months are Jcnuary and February. Tatham et al. (1977) reported winter water temperatures in western Barnegat Bay as low as -1.5*C (29.3'F) and cummer temperatures approaching 30*C (86'F) . Periods of relatively ropid temperature change occur in spring and fall. Atlantic Ocean water that enters the estuary exhibits a somewhat less extreme i annual range of temperature.

Ice typically forms each winter adjacent to the shoreline of 1 Barnegat Bay, but more extensive ice covering across a major portion of the bay has occurred only during the coldest of recent 3-3 ,

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winters. Periodically, during winter or early spring, ice from -

Barnegat Bay is drawn into the OCNGS intake canal.

1 3.6 WATER TRANSPARENCY IN BARNEGAT BAY '

Water transparency in Barnegat Bay, as measured by Secchi' depth, ranges from 0.2 to 2.5 m (0.7 - 8.2 ft). The annual average Secchi depth in the vicinity of Oyster Creek is 1.1 m (3.6 ft) (vouglitois- 1 1983).

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' Table 3-1. Barnegat Inlet average tidal prisms, adjusted to mean tidal conditions (from Ashley, 1988; Gebert, 1994).

Date Average Tidal Prism (10 m')

7 June 1932 2.29 December 1940 3.21 April 1941 3.45 November 1941 3.31 September 1943 2.12 June 1945 2.01 May 1968 1.39 March 1980 1.17 September 1987 1.17  !

June 1993 2.55*

OBased upon preliminary U.S. Army Corps of Engineers data (Gebert 1994).

NOTE: New south jetty constructed 1988-1991; most recent maintenance dredging in.Barnegat Inlet completed 1993.

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i 3-8 I

e SECTION 4.0 OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION DESCRIPTION 4.1 OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION ,

Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station (OCNGS) consists of a boiling water nuclear reactor with an electrical capability - of cpproximately 650 megawatts. OCNGS began commercial operation late in 1969.

The containment structure housing the reactor and the turbine, euxiliary and service buildings for OCNGS are located on a semicircular plot of land bounded by the intake and discharge canals and by U . S . Route 9 (Figure 4-1). Two separate intake structures withdraw water from the intake canal (Figs. 4-2 through 4-9). The circulating water system intake (CWS) provides cooling wcter for the main condensers and also provides cooling water for safety-related heat exchangers and other equipment within the station. The dilution water system (DWS) minimizes the thermal effects on the discharge canal and Barnegat Bay by " thermally diluting" the circulating water from the condenser with colder water drawn from the intake canal. Water from both systems is discharged via discharge tunnels to the head of the discharge canal, located immediately west of the plant (Fig. 4-2).

4.1.1 CIRCULATING WATER SYSTEM

- The once-through CWS is designed to remove waste heat from the stations main condensers. The CWS withdraws cooling water from the intake canal, routes it to the condensers, and returns warmed water to the discharge canal (Figure 4-2). During normal plant operation, four 435 m'/ min (0.115 million gpm) circulating water pumps (Figs. 4-3 and 4-4) withdraw a total of 1740 m'/ min (0.46 million gpm). The typical temperature rise across the condensers in this operating mode is 11*-12.8'c (20'-23*F). Measurements of the intake velocity of water approaching the CWS intake ports show flows of 17-20 cm/sec (0.56-0.66 ft/sec) with four circulating water pumps operating and all six intake bays open.

The station's New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) Discharge to Surface Water Permit regulates the intake velocity as well as the effluent characteristics of the CWS. The maximum permissible average intake velocity for water approaching l' the CWS intake ports is 30 cm/sec The maximum (1 ft/sec).

temperature difference between the intake and discharge water is 12.8'C (23*F); the maximum effluent temperature is 41.1*C (106*F).

Both of these temperature limits apply during normal operating conditions (i.e; when four circulating water pumps are operating 4-1

and condenser backwashing is not underway.) -

When fewer than four circulating water pumps are operating, or-during condenser backwashing, alternate temperature limitations apply. The maximum temperature difference between the intake and discharge water under those conditions is 18.3*C (33*F); the alternate maximum effluent temperature is 43.3*C (110*F). The operation of dilution pumps (see Section 4.1.2) reduces the water temperature in the discharge canal by approximately 2.8'C (5'F) for each pump operated. Two dilution pumps are typically operated )

during the summer months, thereby providing a 5.6*C (10'F) reduction in discharge canal temperature, i I

4.1.1.1 CIRCUIATING WATER SYSTEM INTAKE STRUCTURE j The CWS intake consists of six separate, independent intake bays or port cells (Figures 4-3 and 4-4). Each intake por'. is equipped with its own trash bars and traveling screens. Provisions for stop logs are made within each port to facilitate dewatering the intake bays for maintenance.

1 Originally, the circulating water intake structure consisted of l trash bars followed by conventional traveling screens whose primary purpose was to collect and remove debris from intake water.

Traveling screens were intermittently cleaned via a front wash, high pressure spray system activated by differential pressure, a ,

timer, or manual intervention. l To mitigate fish impingement losses, modifications have been made to the original installation by adding: horizontal, water-filled fish survival buckets on the traveling screen baskets (Ristroph modification); a low pressure rear spray wash fish removal system; and a modified fish and trash sluiceway system specifically designed to gently return fish to the discharge canal.

4.1.1.1.1 TRASH BARS AND TRASH RAKE ASSEMBLY Six sets of trash bars protect each of the six intake ports from large debris, mats of eel grass, marine algae or detritus entrained in the intake water flow (Fig. 4-5). The trash bar assemblies, sometimes referred to as trash racks, are 7.3 m (24 ft) high and extend from the deck of the CWS intake structure at elevation +6.0 ft MSL (mean sea level) to the bottom of each CWS intake port, elevation -18.0 MSL, and are approximately 3.3 m (11 ft) wide.

Constructed of 0.95 cm (3/8 in) wide steel bars on 7.5 cm (3.0 in) centers, the openings between the trash bars are 6.6 cm (2.6 in) wide.

The trash bars are inspected at least twice during each 8-hr work shift, throughout the sea turtle season (see Section 7 and Appendix I), and debris is removed as needed by a mobile mechanical trash rake. The trash rake / trash cart assembly is a self-contained unit which traverses the entire width of the intake on rails; it contains a trash hopper which transports the material removed from the bars to a debris container at the south end of the intake.

4-2

Figures 4-5 through 4-8 illustrate the trash rake / trash cart assembly at the CWS and DWS intake structures.

The trash rake is 1.8 m (6.0 ft) wide and is controlled by a single operator from a manual pushbutton control panel which is mounted on the unit's frame assembly. The trash rake unit consists of an integral frame assembly which houses the traversing drive, hoisting machinery, hopper and hydraulic control assemblies. The hoisting machinery includes a cable-operated raking device which is designed to remove large floating or submerged objects which may accumulate on the trash bars. Wide-flanged wheels permit the raking device to travel along the face of the inclined trash bars and guide the t cleaning device vertically over the bars. The curved tines of the trash rake extend approximately 2.5 cm (1.0 in) beyond the plane of the trash bars to ensure effective cleaning of the trash bars.

Lighting of the intake bays and trash bars is provided by nearby high-intensity lamps, as well as downward-facing floodlights mounted on each corner of the trash cart (Figs. 4-5 and 4-8).

Personnel cleaning the CWS and DWS intake trash racks during the June 1 -October 31 period observe the trash rake during the cleaning operation so that the rake may be stopped if a sea turtle is sighted. The debris gathered from the trash racks is hand raked into the trash car hopper. Personnel performing this task are instructed to look for sea turtles and to take particular care to ensure that sea turtles are not mistaken for horseshoe crabs. The floodlights attached to the trash rake unit are utilized during the evening hours to aid station personnel in spotting sea turtles.

4.1.1.1.2 TRAVELING SCREENS Each CWS intake cell is equipped with a vertical traveling screen.

Each traveling screen unit contains thirty-five, stainless steel mesh (0.95 cm; 3/8 inch) fish-removal type screen panels. Each screen panel has a 5.1 cm (2 in) wide lip, which creates a water-filled bucket. As the screen is raised through and out of the water, most impinged organisms such as small fish or invertebrates drop off the screen into the bucket, which prevents them from falling uack into the screen well and becoming reimpinged. These organisms are subsequently washed into a fish-return system which gently returns them to the discharge canal.

Normally the screens operate at a speed of 75 cm/sec (2.5 ft/sec).

They can be operated at an alternate speed of 300 cm/sec (10 ft/sec) in order to accommodate large debris loads.

For maximum fish survival, the screen wash operates with both low-pressure and high-pressure spray headers. As the screen basket travels over the head sprocket, organisms slide onto the screen face and are washed by one low-pressure spray header located outside the screen unit, and two low-pressure spray headers located inside the screen unit, into an upper sluice. This spray wash is designed to minimize descaling and other injuries that would occur with conventional high-pressure spray headers. Subsequently, heavier debris is washed into a lower sluice by two high-pressure 4-3 )

1

1 I

spray headers. -

Because all sea turtles captured at OCNGS have measured at least 26 cm (10 in) carapace length, it is not anticipated that a sea turtle small enough to pass through the 6.6 cm (2.6 in) openings of the trash racks will ever occur at OCNGS. However, in the unlikely  ;

event that such a small sea turtle occurs at OCNGS, the fish return i system would gently return it to the discharge canal automatically (i . e . ,- without the need for manual intervention by OCNGS personnel). l 4.1.1.1.3 CIRCULATING WATER PUMPS There are four circulating water pumps located on the CWS intake structure (Fig. 4-4). They are vertical wet-pit type pumps rated at 435 m 3 / min (0.115 million gpm) which discharge through 1.7 m (6.0 ft) lines to the main condensers and ultimately to a 3.2 m  ;

(10.5 ft) square concrete discharge tunnel. The once-through I cooling system piping running from the intake to the discharge is approximately 200 m (650 ft) in length. A 1.5 m (5 ft) concrete l recirculation pipe for ice control runs below the water level from the' discharge tunnel back to the intake structure. The area in close proximity to the CWS intake is kept from freezing due to the intake deicing system and the turbulence induced by the circulating water and dilution pumps.

4.1.1.1.4 SEA TURTLE RETRIEVAL / RESCUE EQUIPMENT As indicated in Section 4.1.1 of the Sea Turtle Surveillance, Handling and Reporting Instructions for Operations Personnel

( Appendix I), a rescue sling suitable for lifting large sea turtles (in excess of 20 kg or 44 lbs) is kept in the fish sampling pool at the Circulating Water System intake structure. The sea turtle rescue sling / lift net (Figure 4-10) consists of a weighted tubular metal frame of 2.5 cm (1 in) O.D. stainless steel measuring 120 cm (48 in) on a side from which 6.4 cm (2.5 in) mesh nylon netting is suspended. Ropes attached at each corner of.the. rescue sling are joined into a bridle and single lift rope which are designed to allow Fie user to drop the sling below a turtle at the trash bars, then lift it out of the water to the intake structure deck.

Custom made long-handled dipnets suitable for retrieving the smaller turtles most commonly encountered at OCNGS have also been fabricated for use at the CWS and DWS intake structures (Figure 4-11). The turtle dipnets are constructed of 3.3 cm (1.3 in) O.D.

aluminum tubing and consist of a 240 cm (8 ft) handle attached to a rounded rectangular net frame measuring 75 x 45 cm (2.5 x 1.5 ft). Nylon netting of 0.63 cm (1/4 in) mesh is suspended from the dipnet frame. These dipnets will be stored within easy reach, attached to fences, railings, or buildings at the CWS and DWS intake structures during the sea turtle season (June 1 - October 31).

Both the rescue sling and the long-handled dipnets are only adequate for retrieving turtles from the water surface or within 4-4

about 1 m (3.3 ft) of the surface because the use of either device requires that the sea turtle be visible from the surface.

4.1.'1.1.5 OTHER EQUIPMENT Screen Wash and Fish-Return Systems The high pressure and low pressure screen wash systems remove

. marine life and debris from the CWS intake traveling screens. The contents of the upper fish and lower debris sluices are returned to the discharge canal through return sluices at the CWS intake. The fish-return system has been designed to return the fish and marine life washed from the traveling screens as gently and gradually as possible to the plant's receiving waters.

4.1.1.2 CONDENSERS There are three sections to the main condenser, one located immediately below each low pressure turbine (Fig. 4-9). There are 14,560 tubes in each main condenser section carrying circulating water from the intake canal. This provides approximately 13,000 m 2 (139,880 f t2 ) of cooling surface area. Each section is 12.2 m (40 ft) long by almost 6.1 m (20 ft) wide and 9.9 m (32.5 ft) high.

Two 1.8 m (6 ft) diameter pipes deliver circulating water to each section of the main condensers.

The discharge piping from the main condenser is joined through 1.8 m (6 ft) lines into a common 3.2 m (10.5 ft) square concrete discharge tunnel. The discharge tunnel transports the condenser cooling water across the site to the discharge canal (Figs. 4-2 and 4-9).

4.1.2 DILUTION WATER SYSTEM The dilution water system (DWS) is designed to minimize thermal effects on the environment by withdrawing ambient temperature water from the intake canal and routing it to the discharge canal where it mixes with the main condenser discharge flows (Fig. 4-2). The dilution flow is provided by three low speed, 984 m /2 min (0.26 million gpm) axial flow dilution pumps, with 2.1 m (7ft) diameter impellers (Fig. 4-6). The number of dilution pumps operated is governed by the station's NJPDES Discharge to Surface Water Permit and a maximum of two pumps (1,968 m'/ min; 0.52 million gpm) are  ;

operated at one time. )

In order to reduce the attraction of migratory fish to the station's discharge canal in the fall, when these species would i normally leave Barnegat Bay, two dilution pumps are put into operation when the ambient (intake) water temperature is less than

15. 5'c ( 60 *F) . In order to reduce the temperature of the discharge canal during the summer months, when the water temperature as measured at the U.S. Route 9 bridge over Oyster Creek (Fig. 4-1) l exceeds 30.5*C (87*F), one dilution pump is put into operation. I If, after one dilution pump has been in operation for at least two I hours, the water temperature at the U.S. Route 9 bridge continues 4-5

to exceed 87'F, a second dilution pump is put into operation. The -

station's third dilution pump is held in reserve to be put into operation within 40 minutes of such time as an insufficient number of dilution pumps are operable in order to meet the intent of the

. permit requirements described above.

The operation of two dilution pumps during the seasonal periods required by the NJPDES permit reduces the discharge canal temperature by approximately 5.6*C (10*F) . During the remainder of

'the year, 'one dilution pump is typically operated, providing a temperature reduction of approximately 2.8'C (5*F) . Following this seasonal operational regime results in the operation of two dilution pumps during about 70 percent of the June-october sea turtle season.

The average intake velocity in front of the DWS intake, with two pumps in operation, is approximately 73 cm/sec (2.4 ft/sec).

4.1.2.1 DILUTION WATER SYSTEM INTAKE STRUCTURE The DWS intake is a reinforced concrete structure located on the west nide of the intake canal (Figs. 4-2 and 4-6). It consists of six intake bays. ~ Each intake bay is fitted with trash ~ bars identical to those employed at the CWS intake (Figs. 4-5 and 4-6) .

Oslike the CWS, there are no travelling screens at the DWS intake F 2,ructure .

4.1.2.1.1 TRASH BARS The DWS trash bars are 0.95 cm (3/8 in) steel bars set on 7.5 cm (3.0 in) centers. There are six DWS trash bar assemblies, each 3.3 m (11 ft) wide. The DWS is fitted with a mobile mechanical trash rake similar in design and operation to the trash rake used at the  :

CWS intake (Figures 4-5 through 4-8). The process of inspecting and cleaning the trash bars at the DWS is identical to that

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describied for the CWS in Section 4.1.1.1.1, Section 7.3, and Appendix I.

4.1.2.1.2 OTHER EQUIPMENT Floatino Debris / Ice Barrier A floating barrier has been designed and installed upstream of the CWS and DWS inta'te structures to divert floating debris such as wood, eelgrass or ice away from the CWS intake and towards the DWS intake. The barrier is intended to prevent excessive amounts of debris or ice from accumulating on the CWS traveling screens or trcsh bars. The floating barrier is of wooden construction and extends approximately 60 cm (2 ft) below the surface from just upstream of the CWS intake to just upstream of the DWS intake (Figure 4-2).

4.1.3 THERMAL PLUME STUDIES Heated condenser cooling water discharged from the CWS and ambient l 4-6 J

temperature intake canal water discharged from the DWS meet and mix '

in the discharge canal and ultimately are returned to Barnegat Bay via the discharge canal (Figure 4-1).

The cooling water discharged from OCNGS has been studied on several occasions to determine the distribution, geometry, and dynamic b:havior_of the thermal plume. Dye studies as well as real-time mobile mapping of the plume track have been performed (Carpenter 1963; Starosta et al. 1981; JCP&L 1986).

Three rather different thermal regimes can be observed in Oyster Creek and Barnegat Bay. In Oyster Creek, initial mixing of the condenser discharge with dilution water produces a reduction in discharge temperature of between 2.8 to 5.6*C (5 to 10*F) depending upon whether one or two dilution pumps is operating; little temperature decay is observable east of U.S. Route 9 until the discharge reaches Barnegat Bay. Minimal horizontal or vertical '

temperature change occurs in Oyster Creek between U.S. Route 9 and the bay because of the relatively short residence time and the lack of turbulence or additional dilution. In Barnegat Bay, temperatures are rapidly reduced as substantial mixing with ambient temperature bay water and heat rejection to the atmosphere occurs.

In the bay, the plume spreads en the surface, thereby abetting ctmospheric heat rejection. Thus, there is a very small area near the OCNGS condenser discharge of relatively high excess temperature in which turbulent dilution mixing produces rapid temperature reductions; a somewhat larger area in Oyster Creek between OCNGS and Barnegat Bay in which little further temperature reduction occurs; and a still larger area in the bay in which the plume-spreads on the surface.

About 150 m (492 ft) east of the mouth of Oyster Creek the water d:pth decreases from approximately 3.4 m (11 ft) to 1.5 m (5 ft),

causing turbulence and mixing and directing the plume toward the curface. In general, excess temperatures do not impinge on the bottom of the bay except in the area immediately adjacent to the mouth of Oyster Creek. Shoreline plumes may extend from the curface to the bottom since the water depths are usually less than .

1.5 m (5 ft). In Barnegat Bay, the plume occupies a relatively large surface area with low excess temperatures where the balance of the heat discharged by OCNGS is dissipated to the atmosphere or '

diluted by entrained bay water. The surface excess temperature icotherm of 2.2*C (4 F) under all operating conditions is contained -

in a rectangle approximately 1.6 km (1 mi) along the east-west axis and 5.6 km (3.5 mi) along the north-south axis bounding the mouth

. of Oyster Creek. For the 0.8*C (1.5"F) isotherm, the rectangle is 2.4 km (1.5 mi) by 7.2 km (4.5 mi). All measured plumes exhibited o plume length of approximately two to three times their width (JCP&L 1986).

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SECTION 5.0 INFORMATION ON SEA TURTLE SPECIES 5.1 GENERAL SEA TURTLE INFORMATION

' Living sea turtles are taxonomically represented by two families, five genera, and seven species (Hopkins and' Richardson.1984; Carr 1952). The family Cheloniidae is comprised of four genera and six distinct species. These species are Caretta caretta (loggerhead)~,

Chelonia mvdas (green turtle), Chelonia deoressa (flatback),.

Eretomochelys imbricata (hawksbill), Lepidochelys kempii (Kemp's -

ridley), and L. olivacea (olive ridley) . The family Dermochelyidae is comprised of only one genus and species, Dermochelys coriacea, ,

commonly referred to as the leatherback sea turtle. ,

Most of these seven sea turtle species are distributed throughout all of the tropical oceans. However, the loggerhead occurs primarily in temperate latitudes, and the leatherback, although nesting in the tropics, frequently migrates into cold waters at higher latitudes because of its unique physiology (Mager 1985).

Sea turtles are believed to be descended from species known from the late Jurassic'and Cretaceous periods that were included in the extinct family Thailassemyidae (Carr 1952; Hopkins and Richardson 1984). Modern sea turtles have short, thick, incompletely retractile necks, and legs which have been modified to become flippers (Bustard 1972; Carr 1952). All species, except the l loatherback, have a hard, bony carapace modified for marine existence by streamlining and weight reduction (Bustard 1972).

chelonians have only a thin layer of bone covered by overlaying ,

scutes and p2 coriacea has a smooth scaleless black skin and soft carapace with seven longitudinal keels (Carr 1952). These differences in structure are the principal reason for their designation. as ~ the only . species in the monotypic family ,

Dermochelyidae (Carr 1952).

Sea turtles spend most'of their lives in an aquatic environment and '

males of many species may never leave the water -(Hopkins and Richardson 1984; Nelson 1988). The recognized life stages for these turtles are egg, hatchling, juvenile /subadult, and adult i (Hirth 1971). A generalized sea turtle life cycle is presented in

• Figure 5-1.

Reproductive cycles in adults of all species involve some degree of migration in which the animals return to nest at the same beach

• year after year (Hopkins and Richardson 1984). Nesting generally begins. about the middle of April and continues into September (Hopkins and Richardson 1984; Nelson 1988; Carr 1952). Mating and copulation occur just off the nesting beach and it is theorized that sperm from one nesting season may be stored by the female and thus fertilize a later season's eggs (Ehrhart 1980). A nesting 5-1

.w

female moved shoreward by the surf lands on the beach and crawls to -

a point above the high water mark (Carr 1952). She then proceeds to excavate a shallow body pit by twisting her body in the sand (Bustard 1972). After digging the body pit she proceeds to excavate an egg chamber using her rear flippers (Carr 1952).

Clutch size, egg size, and egg shape are species specific (Bustard 1972). Incubation periods for loggerheads and green turtles average 55 days but range from 45 to 65 days. depending on local conditions (Nelson 1988).

Hatchlings emerge from the nest at night, breaking the egg shell and digging their way out of the nest (Carr 1952) . They find their way across the beach to the surf by orienting to light reflecting off the breaking surf (Hopkins and Richardson 1984). Once in the surf, hatchlings exhibit behavior known as " swim frenzy," during which they swim in a straight line for many hours (Carr 1986).

Once into the waters off the nesting beach, hatchlings enter a ,

period known as the " lost year." Researchers are presently trying to determine where young sea turtles spend their earliest years, what habitat (s) they prefer at this age, as well as typical survival rates during the " lost year" (i.e., during their post-hatchling early pelagic stage). It is currently believed the period encompassed by the " lost year" may actually turn out to be several years and various hypotheses have been put forth regarding sea turtle activities during this period. One is that hatchlings may become associated with floating sargassum rafts offshore.

These rafts provide shelter and are dispersed randomly by the currents (Carr 1986). Another hypothesis is that the " lost year" of some species may be spent in a salt marsh / estuarine system (Garmon 1981).

The functional ecology of sea turtles in the marine and/or  !

estuarine ecosystem is varied. The loggerhead is primarily l carnivorous and has jaws well-adapted to crushing molluscs and crustaceans and grazing on encrusted organisms attached to reefs, pilings and wrecks; the Kemp's ridley is omnivorous and feeds on swimming crabs and crustaceans; the green turtle is a herbivore and grazes on marine grasses and algae; and, the leatherback is a specialized feeder preying primarily upon jellyfish. Until recently, sea turtle populations were relatively large and subsequently played a significant role in the marine ecosystem.

This role has been greatly reduced in most locations as a result of declining turtle populations. These population declines were a i result of, among other things, natural factors such as disease and l predation, habitat loss, commercial overutilization, commercial fishing by-catch mortality and the lack of comprehensive regulatory mechanisms to ensure their protection throughout their geographic range. This has led to several species being threatened with ,

extinction.  !

Due to changes in habitat use during different life history stages and seasons, sea turtle populations are difficult to census (Meylan  !

1982). Because of these problems, estimates of population numbers l have been derived from various indices such as numbers of nesting i females, numbers of hatchlings per kilometer of nesting beach and I 5-2

1982). Because of these problems, estimates of population numbers have been derived from various indices such as numbers of nesting  !

females, numbers of hatchlings per kilometer of nesting beach and number of subadult carcasses (strandings) washed ashore (Hopkins '

and Richardson 1984). Six of the seven extant species of sea turtles are protected under the Endangered Species Act. Three of the turtles, Kemp's ridley, hawksbill and leatherback, are listed as endangered. The Florida nesting population of green turtle and

, Mexican west coast population of olive ridley are also endangered.

All of the remaining populations of green turtle, olive ridley and loggerhead are threatened. The only unlisted species is the locally protected Australian flatback turtle (Hopkins and i Richardson 1984 ) . Only two species of sea turtles, loggerheads and  ;

Kemp's ridleys, occur in Barnegat Bay and coastal waters near.

OCNGS. Leatherbacks do occur in coastal New Jersey waters but typically are found at considerable distances offshore. Green turtles have only been sporadically reported from the New Jersey coast. Regional sea turtle distribution will be discussed in more detail later in this section.

5.2 LOGGERHEAD (Caretta caretta) 5.

2.1 DESCRIPTION

f The adult loggerhead turtle has a slightly elongated, heart-shaped carapace that tapers towards the posterior and has a broad !

triangular head (Pritchard et al. 1983). Loggerheads normally j weigh up to 200 kg (450 lb) and attain a carapace length (straight line) up to 120 cm (48 in) (Pritchard et al. 1983). Their general coloration is reddish-brown dorsally and cream-yellow ventrally (Hopkins and Richardson 1984) . Morphologically, the loggerhead is distinguishable from other sea turtle species by the following ,

characteristics: 1) a hard shell; 2) two pairs of scutes on the l 2ront of the head; 3) five pairs of lateral scales on the carapace;  !

4) plastron with three pairs of enlarged scutes connecting the carapace; 5) two claws on each flipper; and, 6) reddish-brown t coloration (Nelson 1988; Dodd 1988; Wolke and George 1981).

l Loggerhead hatchlings are brown above with light margins below and have five pairs of lateral scales (Pritchard et al. 1983).

j 5.2.2 DISTRIBUTION i Loggerhead turtles are circumglobal, inhabiting continental  !

I shelves, bays, lagoons, and estuaries in the temperate, subtropical and tropical waters of the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans  !'

(Dodd 1988; Mager 1985).

In the western Atlantic Ocean, loggerhead turtles occur from Argentina northward to Newfoundland including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea (Carr 1952; Dodd 1988; Mager 1985; Nelson 1988; Squires 1954). Sporadic nesting is reported throughout the tropical and warmer temperate range of distribution, but the most important nesting areas are the Atlantic coast of Florida, Georgia ,

and South Carolina (Hopkins and Richardson 1984). The Florida 5-3

nesting population of loggerheads has been estimated to be-the second largest in the world (Ross 1982).

The foraging range of the loggerhead sea turtle extends throughout-the warm waters of the U.S.. continental shelf (Shoop et al. 1981).

On a seasonal basis, loggerhead turtles are common as far north as the Canadian portions of the Gulf of Maine (Lazell .1980) , but during~ cooler months of the year, distributions shift to the south (Shoop et al. 1981). Loggerheads frequently forage around coral

' reefs, rocky places and old boat wrecks;.they commonly enter bays, lagoons and estuaries (Dodd 1988). Aerial-surveys of loggerhead turtles at sea indicate that they are most common in waters less than 50 m-(164 ft) in depth (Shoop et al. 1981), but they. occur pelagically as well (Carr 1986).

5.2.3 FOOD Loggerheads are primarily carnivorous (Mortimer 1982). They eat a variety of benthic organisms including molluscs, crabs, shrimp, jellyfish, sea urchins, sponges, squids, and fishes (Nelson 1988).

Adult loggerheads have been observed feeding in reef and hard bottom areas (Mortimer 1982). In the seagrass lagoons of Mosquito-Lagoon, Florida, subadult loggerheads fed almost exclusively on horseshoe crab (Mendonca and Ehrhart 1982). Loggerheads may also eat animals discarded by commercial trawlers (Shoop and Ruckdeschel 1982). This benthic feeding characteristic may contribute to the capture of these turtles in trawls.  ;

5.2.4 NESTING The nesting season of the loggerhead is confined to the warmer ,

months of the year in the temperate zones of the northern hemisphere. In south Florida nesting may occur from April through September but usually peaks in late June and July (Dodd 1988; Florida Power & Light Company 1983).

Loggerhead females generally nest every other year or every third year (Hopkins and Richardson 1984) but multi-annual remigration intervals ranging from one to six years have been reported (Bjorndal et al. 1983; Richardson et al. 1978). When a loggerhead nests, it usually will lay 2 to 3 clutches of eggs per season and will lay 35 to 180 eggs per clutch (Hopkins and Richardson 1984).

The eggs hatch in 46 to 68 days and hatchling emerge 2 or 3 days later (Crouse 1985; Hopkins and Richardson 1984; Kraemer 1979).

Hatchling loggerheads are a little less than 5 cm (2 in) in length when they emerge from the nest (Hopkins and Richardson 1984; Florida Power & Light Company 1983). They emerge from the nest as a group at night, orient themselves seaward and rapidly move f

tcwards the water (Hopkins and Richardson 1984). Many hatchlings fall prey to sea birds and other predators following emergence.

Those hatchlings that reach the water quickly move offshore and exist pelagically (Carr 1986).

Nesting by loggerheads as far north as the New Jersey coast is 5-4 J

l 1

. considered rare. Anecdotal reports'of loggerhead nests at ocean City, NJ and Island Beach State Park during the 1980's are among  !

-the few known nesting activities in local waters (Schcelkopf,

.psrsonal communication, 1993). More recently, a loggerhead nest 3 wcs found at Holgate, NJ on Long Beach-Island during the summer of i J1994 (Schoelkopf, personal communication, 1994).

'5.2.5 i

' POPULATION SIZE Loggerhead sea turtles are the most common sea turtle in the coastal' waters of the United States. Based on numbers of nesting ,

females, numbers of hatchlings per kilometer'of_ nesting' beach and l number of subadult carcasses (strandings) washed ashore, the total'.

number of mature loggerhead females in the southeastern United.  !

States has been estimated to be from 35,375 to 72,520 (Hopkins and 1 Richardson 1984; Gordon 1983).

i

Adult and sub-adult (shell length greater than 60 centimeters) population estimates have also been based on aerial surveys of palagic animals observed by NMFS during 1982 to.1984.

Based on these studies the current estimated number of adult and sub-adult loggerhead sea turtles from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina '

to Key West, Florida is 387,594 (NMFS 1987). This number was arrived at by taking the number of observed turtles and converting it to a population abundance estimate using information on the cmount of time loggerheads typically spend at the surface. i Some sea turtles which die at sea wash ashore and are found stranded. The NMFS Sea Turtle Salvage and Stranding Network .i collects stranded sea turtles along both the Atlantic and Gulf  :

Coasts-(NMFS 1988). Using 1987 data as an example, over 2,300  !

loggerhead turtles were reported by the network (Figures 5-2.and 5-3). The largest portion was collected from the southeast l Atlantic Coast (1,414 turtles) followed by the Gulf Coast (593 turtles) and northeast Atlantic Coast (347 turtles).

One researcher has suggested that loggerhead turtle nesting i populations in the U.S. have been declining (Frazer 1986), but positive steps have recently_been taken-to reverse that trend. In- l September of 1989, NMFS regulations requiring the use of turtle -

excluder devices (TED's) on commercial shrimp trawls were  ;

. implemented. Based upon onboard observations of offshore shrimp l trawling in the southeast Atlantic, NMFS estimated that over 43,000 t loggerheads are captured in shrimp trawls annually. The number of loggerhead mortalities from this activity was estimated to_be 9,874 turtles annually (NMFS 1987). An estimated 5,000 to 50,000  ;

loggerheads were killed annually during commercial shrimp fishing  !

activities prior to regulations requiring the use of TED's (NMFS  !

1991a). The use of TED's may reduce sea turtle mortality in shrimp ,

trawls by as much as 97% (Crouse et al. 1992). Since the implementation of the TED requirement, strandings of drowned threatened and endangered sea turtle species, in areas where strandings were historically high, have been dramatically lower (Crouse et al. 1992). Sea turtle nesting activity on two key 5-5

beaches also increased considerably subsequent to the -

implementation of the TED regulations (Crouse et al. 1992).

In addition to the apparent success of the TED program, restrictions on development in coastal areas have become more widespread in recent years _and may reduce the rate of habitat loss for sea turtles.

Based on these' data, it is evident that a large population of loggerhead sea turtles does exist in the southeast Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico and that effective measures have been taken to mitigate a major source of loggerhead _ mortality. Various populations estimates suggest that the number of adult and subadult turtles is probably' in the hundreds of thousands in the southeastern United States alone. In addition, large populations of_ loggerheads occur in many other parts of the world (Ross and Barwani 1982; NMFS 1991a). These facts suggest that although this species needs to be conserved, it is not in any immediate risk of becoming endangered.

5,3 KEMP'S RIDLEY (Leoidochelvs-kemoii) 5.

3.1 DESCRIPTION

The adult Kemp's ridley has a circular-shaped carapace and a medium sized pointed head. Ridleys are the smallest of extant sea turtles. They normally weigh up to 42 kg (90 lb) and attain a carapace length (straight line) up to 70 cm (27 in) (Pritchard et al. 1983). Their general coloration is-olive-green dorsally and yellow ventrally (Hopkins and Richardson 1984). Morphologically, the Kemp's ridley is distinguishable from other sea turtle species by the following characteristics: 1) a hard shell; 2) two pairs of scutes on the front of the head; 3) five pairs of lateral scutes on the carapace; 4) plastron with four pairs of scutes, with pores, connecting the carapace; 5) one claw on each front flipper and two on each back flipper; and, 6) olive-green coloration (Pritchard et al. 1983; Pritchard and Marquez 1973).

Kemp's ridley hatchlings are dark grey-black above and white below (Pritchard et al. 1983; Pritchard and Marquez 1973).

5.3.2 DISTRIBUTION Kemp's ridley turtles inhabit sheltered coastal areas and frequent larger estuaries, bays and lagoons in the temperate, subtropical and tropical waters of the northwestern Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico (Mager 1985).

The foraging range of adult Kemp's ridley sea turtles appears to be restricted to the Gulf of Mexico. However, juveniles and subadults occur thrcughout the warm coastal waters of the U.S. Atlantic coast (Hopkins and Richardson 1984; Pritchard and Marquez 1973) .

Juveniles /subadults travel northward with vernal warming to feed in the productive coastal waters of Georgia through New England, but return southward with the onset of winter to escape the cold (Henwood and Ogren 1987; Lutcavage and Musick 1985; Morreale et al.

5-6

1988; Ogren 1989).

5.3.3 FOOD Kemp's ridleys are omnivorous and feed on crustaceans, swimming crabs, fish, jellyfish and molluscs (Pritchard and Marquez 1973).

5.3.4 NESTING Nesting of.Kemp's ridleys is mainly restricted to a stretch of beach near Rancho Nuevo, Tamaulipas, Mexico (Pritchard and Marquez 1973; Hopkins and Richardson 1984). Occasional nesting has been reported in Padre Island, Texas and Veracruz, Mexico (Mager 1985).

The nesting season of the Kemp's ridley is confined to the warmer months of the year primarily from April through July. Kemp's ridley females generally nest every year to every third . year (M&rquez et al. 1982; Pritchard et al. 1983). They will lay 2 to 3 clutches of eggs per season and will lay 50 to 185 eggs per clutch. The eggs hatch in 45 to 70 days and hatchling emerge 2 or 3 days later (Hopkins and Richardson 1984).

Hatchling ridleys are about 4.2 cm (a little less than 2 in) in length when they emerge from the nest (Hopkins and Richardson 1984). They emerge from the nest as a group at night, orient themselves seaward and rapidly move towards the water (Hopkins and Richardson 1984). Following emergence, many hatchlings fall prey to sea birds, raccoons and crabs. Those hatchlings that reach the water quickly move offshore. Their existence after emerging is not well understood but is probably pelagic (Carr 1986). The post-pelagic stages are commonly found dwelling over crab-rich sandy or muddy bottoms. Juveniles frequent bays, coastal lagoons, and river mouths (NMFS 1992b).

5.3.5 POPULATION SIZE Kemp's ridley sea turtles are the most endangered of the sea turtle species. There is only a single known colony of this species, almost all of which nest near Rancho Nuevo, Tamaulipas, Mexico. An estimated 40,000 females nested on a single day in 1947, but between 1978 and 1990 there were less than 1,000 nests per season (Figures 5-4 and 5-5). Based on nesting information from Rancho Nuevo, Ross (1989) estimated that the population was declining at a rate of approximately 3 percent per year. In 1994 however, 1,568 nests were observed at Rancho Nuevo, and more Kemp's ridley nests have been laid each year since 1990 than in any previous year on record since 1978 (Byles, 1994). It has been suggested that this recent increase in nesting activity reflects the reduction in shrimp trawl related mortality realized since the implementation of the NMFS TED regulations in September of 1989 (Crouse et al.1992) .

The adult Kemp's ridley population has been estimated by Msrquez (1989) to be approximately 2,200 adults based on the numbers of nests produced at Rancho Nuevo, this species' nesting cycle, male-female ratios, and fecundity.

5-7

Population estimates of immature L. kemoii are difficult to-develop. Increases have been noted in the number of juvenile captures during the late 1980's and early 1990's in long-term tagging studies in the northeast Gulf of Mexico (Ogren, unpubl.

data). If this increase is indicative of an overall increase in  ;

the juvenile population, additional recruitment into the adult population should occur in the future (NMFS 1991a).

I Kemp's ridleys also die at sea and wash ashore. The NMFS Sea I Turtle Salvage and Stranding Network collects stranded sea turtles along both the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts (NMFS 1988) . Based on 1987 data, 767 ridleys were reported by the network (Figures 5-2 and 5-3). The largest portion was collected from the Gulf Coast (103 turtles), primarily the western portion of the Gulf. Nearly equal l numbers of ridleys were reported from the northeast and southeast Atlantic Coasts (64 and 50, respectively).

Onboard observation of offshore shrimp trawling by NMFS in the southeast Atlantic indicated that over 2,800 ridleys are captured in shrimp trawls annually. The number of ridley mortalities attributable to this activity was estimated to be 767 turtles annually and most of these (65 percent) occurred in the western portion of the Gulf of Mexico (NMFS 1987). Magnuson et al. (1990) estimated the annual shrimp trawl by-catch mortality to be between 500 and 5,000 individuals. As discussed above, significant reductions in this source of mortality, by as much as 97 percent, have been achieved as a result of the implementation of the TED regulations by the NMFS in 1989 (Crouse et al. 1992).

Despite the apparent reduction in mortality afforded by the use of >

TED's, these data suggest that this population remains at critically low levels. The species was listed as endangered in 1970 and is considered the most endangered of all sea turtles (NMFS 1991a; Burke et al. 1994).

5.4 GREEN TURTLE (Chelonia mvdas) 5.

4.1 DESCRIPTION

The green turtle is a medium to large sea turtle with a nearly oval carapace and a small rounded head (Pritchard et al. 1983). Its carapace is smooth and olive-brown in color with darker streaks and spots. Its plastron is yellow. Full grown adult greens normally weigh 100 to 150 kg (220 to 330 lb) and attain a carapace length (straight line) of 90 to 100 cm (35 to 40 in) (Pritchard et al.

1983; Hopkins and Richardson 1984; Witherington and Ehrhart 1989). ',

Morphologically, this species can be distinguished from the other sea turtles by the following characteristics: 1) a relatively smooth shell with no overlapping scutes; 2) one pair of scutes on .

the front of the head; 3) four pairs of lateral scutes on the j carapace; 4) plastron with four pairs of enlarged scutes connecting i the carapace; 5) one claw on each flipper; and, 6) olive, j dark-brown mottled coloration (Nelson 1988; Pritchard et al. 1983; '

Carr 1952).

5-8 J

Green turtles are circumglobally distributed mainly in waters ,

between the northern and southern 20 C (68'F) isotherm (Mager 1985). In the western Atlantic, several major assemblages have b en identified and studied (Parsons 1962; Pritchard 1966; Schulz 1975; 1982; Carr et al. 1978). In the continental U.S., however, the only known green turtle nesting occurs on the Atlantic coast of Florida (Mager 1985). In U.S. Atlantic waters, green turtles are found around the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the continental United States from Texas to Massachusetts (NMFS, 1991b).

5.4.3 Food Green sea turtles leave their pelagic habitat phase and enter benthic feeding grounds upon reaching a carapace length of 20 to 25 cm ( 8-10 in) . They are primarily herbivores eating sea grasses and algae (NMFS 1991b). Other organisms living on sea grass blades and algae add to their diet (Mager 1985).

5.4.4 NESTING Green turtle nesting occurs on the Atlantic coast of Florida from June to September (Hopkins and Richardson 1984). Mature females may nest one to seven times per season at about 10 to 18 day intervals (Carr et al. 1978). Average clutch sizes vary between 100 and 200 eggs that usually hatch within 45 to 60 days (Hopkins and Richardson 1984). Hatchlings emerge, mostly at night, travel quickly to the water, and swim out to sea. At this point, they enter a period which is poorly understood but is likely spent pelagically in areas where currents concentrate debris and floating vegetation such as sargassum (Carr 1986).

5.4.5 POPULATION SIZE The number of green sea turtles that existed before commercial exploitation and the total number that now exists are not known.

Records show drastic declines in the Florida catch during the 1800's and similar declines occurred in other areas where they were commercially harvested in the past, such as Texas (Hildebrand 1982; Hopkins and Richardson 1984).

The elimination or deterioration of many nesting beaches and less frequent encounters with green turtles provide inferential evidence that stocks are generally declining (Mager 1985; Hopkins and Richardson 1984).

5.5 LEATHERBACK TURTLE (pgrmochelys noriacea) 5.

5.1 DESCRIPTION

The loatherback turtle is the largest of the sea turtles. It has an elongated, somewhat triangularly shaped body with longitudinal ridges or keels. It has a leathery blue-black shell composed of a thick layer of oily, vascularized cartilaginous material, 5-9

strengthened by a mosaic of thousands of small . bones . This blue-black shell may also have variable white spotting (Pritchard et al. 1983). Its plastron is white. Leatherbacks normally weigh up to 300 kg (660 lb) and attain a carapace length (straight line) of 140 cm (55 in) (Pritchard et al. 1983; Hopkins and Richardson 1984). Specimens as large as 910 kg (2,000 lb) have been observed.

Morphologically this species can be easily distinguished from the other sea turtles by the following characteristics: 1) its smooth unscaled carapace; 2) carapace with seven longitudinal ridges; 3) head and flippers covered with unscaled skin; and,.4) no claws on the flippers (Nelson 1988; Pritchard et al. 1983; Pritchard 1971; Carr 1952).

5.5.2 DISTRIBUTION Leatherbacks have a circumglobal distribution and occur in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. They range as far north as Labrador and Alaska to as far south as Chile and the Cape of Good Hope. Their occurrence farther north than other sea turtle species is probably related to their ability to maintain a warmer body temperature over a longer period of time (NMFS 1985). Thompson (1984) reported that leatherbacks prefer water temperatures of about 20*C (15*) and were likely to be associated with cooler, more productive waters than the Gulf Stream.

Aerial surveys have shown leatherbacks to be present from April to i November between North Carolina and Nova Scotia, but most likely to '

be observed from the Gulf of Maine south to Long Island during summer (Shoop et al. 1981).

5.5.3 FOOD The diet of the leatherback consists primarily of soft-bodied  !

animals such as jellyfish and tunicates, together with juvenile ,

fishes, amphipods and other organisms (Hopkins and Richardson '

1984).

5.5.4 NESTING <

Leatherback turtle nesting occurs on the mid-Atlantic coast of  ;

Florida from late February or March to September (Hopkins and l Richardson 1984; NMFS 1992a). Mature females may nest one to nine  ;

times per season at about 9 to 17 day intervals. Average clutch '

sizes vary between 50 and 170 eggs that hatch usually within 50 to 75 days (Hopkins and Richardson 1984; Tucker 1988). Hatchlings emerge, mostly at night, travel quickly to the water, and swim out to sea. The life history of the leatherback is poorly understood since juvenile turtles are rarely observed.  ;

5.5.5 POPULATION SIZE i

The world population estimates for the leatherback have been l revised upward to over 100,000 females in recent years due to the 4

i 5-10

The world population estimates for the leatherback have been revised upward to over 100,000 females in recent years due to the discovery of nesting beaches in Mexico (Pritchard 1983).

5.6 SEA TURTLES IN COASTAL WATERS OF NEW JERSEY Four species of sea turtles are known to occur in the coastal marine and estuarine waters of New Jersey, based on the records of sea turtle strandings compiled by the . Marine Mammal Stranding Center (Schoelkopf 1994). The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) is a member of the Northeast Sea Turtle Salvage and Stranding Network supported by NMFS.

The records of the MMSC include strandings of sea turtles along the seaside beaches of New Jersey as well as New Jersey's coastal embayments and estuaries such as Barnegat Bay and Delaware Bay.

The four species of sea turtles reported from these areas include loggerhead, leatherback, Kemp's ridley, as well as green sea turtles.

The MMSC has reported 526 sea turtle strandings in coastal New Jersey, from Delaware Bay to Sandy Hook between 1977 and 1994 (Tables 5-1 and 5-2). Only eight of these strandings occurred at OCNGS; the detar.ls of these strandings are discussed in Section 6.0. Loggerheads were the most commonly stranded turtle, comprising almost two-thirds of the strandings between 1977 and 1994. Kemp's ridleys and leatherback were less common (6 and 31 percent of the strandings, respectively) . Less than one percent of the reported strandings were green sea turtles (Schoelkopf 1994).

The majority of the strandings and/or sightings reported by MMSC have occurred between June and October (Table 5-2), although leatherbacks can occur virtually all year in New Jersey.

The MMSC (Schoelkopf 1994) reports that the majority of New Jersey sea turtle strandings have occurred in Cape May, Monmouth, Ocean and Salem counties, with fewer occurrences in Atlantic, Cumberland, I Middlesex and Burlington counties (Figure 5-6).

Stomach content analyses from dead turtles have shown that primary l food items for loggerheads are often blue crab and horseshoe crab.

Blue crab occur during most of the year in the OCNGS intake and discharge canals and adjacent areas of Barnegat Bay. Horseshoe crab move into Barnegat Bay to lay eggs in the spring and summer, which coincides with the northward seasonal movement of loggerheads along the coast. Kemp's ridley stomachs which have been examined also often contain primarily blue crab. From a functional ecological viewpoint, loggerhead and Kemp's ridleys would be secondary consumers. They are not likely to be an important link l in the Barnegat Bay food web, however, because of their apparently low abundance.

5.6.1 SEA TURTLES IN BARNEGAT BAY )

A considerable body of evidence exists which indicates that sea I 5-11

l I

l turtles are not commonly found in Barnegat Bay. From 1975 to 1985, !

GPUN and its environmental consultants conducted an intensive i biological monitoring program designed to qualify and quantify the -

marine biota of Barnegat Bay. The program included sampling organisms impinged upon the CWS travelling screens and entrained in the cooling water flow of the condenser and dilution pump intakes at the.OCNGS. In addition, thousands of trawl, seine and gill-net 1 samples were collected in Barnegat Bay, Forked River and Oyster Creek (Danila et al. 1979; Ecological Analysts, Inc. 1981; EA Engineering, Science and Technology, Inc. 1986; EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc.1986a; Jersey Central Power and Light Company 1978; Tatham et al. 1977; Tatham et al. 1978).

Impingement and entrainment sampling involved the presence of 2 to ,

4 biologists at the intake structures during day and night sampling periods. No sea turtles were captured or observed during more than '

20,000 hours0 days <br />0 hours <br />0 weeks <br />0 months <br /> of sampling.

Nearly 3,000 trawl samples were collected during day and night sampling periods. These samples consisted of 5-minute hauls of a 4.9 meter (16 ft) semiballoon otter trawl. The trawl had a 3.8 cm (1.5 in) stretch mesh body, a 3.2 cm (1.25 in) stretch mesh cod end and a 1.3 cm (0.5 in) stretch mesh inner liner. No sea turtles were found in any of these samples. More than 2,000 seine samples ,

were collected during day and nite periods using 12.2 meter (40 ft)  !

and 45.7 meter (150 ft) seines with 0.6 cm (0.25 in) and 1.3 cm (0.5 in) stretch mesh, respectively. No sea turtles were found in I any of these samples. l Gill-net samples were collected using a 91.4 x 1.8 meter (300 x 6 ft) net consisting of three, 30.5 m (100 ft) panels of 38, 70 and-89 mm (1.5, 2.75, and 3.5 in) monofilament stretch mesh or a 61.0 meter (200 ft) net, identical to that described above but without the 70 mm (2.75 in) mesh panel. Several hundred' samples were collected during day and night periods but no sea turtles were captured.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife, has conducted periodic trawl and seine sampling in Barnegat Bay since 1971 (NJDEP 1973; Makai 1993; McLain 1993) and have reported no sea turtle captures. Similarly, Rutgers University reports that only one loggerhead turtle was captured during more than 5 years of periodic trawl sampling in Great Bay and Little Egg Harbor, estuaries located immediately south of Barnegat Bay (Able 1993).

The scarcity of sea turtles in Barnegat Bay is not surprising considering the fact that the only direct access to the bay from the Atlantic Ocean is through a single, narrow inlet, approximately 300 m (1000 ft) wide. By contrast, the inlet to Delaware Bay is over 18 km (11 mi) wide (Figure 5-7), providing unrestricted access from the Atlantic Ocean. Largely as a result of this accessibility, sea turtles have been much more common in Delaware Bay. At the Salem Generating Station located on upper Delaware Bay, Public Service Electric and Gas (1989) has captured sea 5-12

turtles in the vicinity of their cooling water intakes since 1980, only three years after the first of two generating units began operating. As many as 10 sea turtles have been captured at that facility in a single year.

The location of the generating station relative to the inlet from the ocean, as well as the rate and velocity of the cooling water flows should also be considered when comparing incidental capture rates at the Salem and Oyster Creek generating stations. The OCNGS is located much closer to Barnegat Inlet than Salem Generating Station is to the mouth of Delaware Bay. However, a sea turtle entering Barnegat Bay must travel along several kilometers of narrow, relatively shallow navigation channels, characterized by very heavy boat traffic, and pass through the wooden support structures of 3 bridges, in order to reach the OCNGS (Figure 5-8).

The rate of cooling water withdrawal for either the CWS or the DWS for OCNGS (1740 and 1968 m'/ min respectively) is about 25 percent of that for the cooling water system at Salem (approximately 7565 m'/ min ) . Similarly, the intake velocity at the OCNGS CWS intake (17-20 cm/sec) is approximately 25% of that at Salem (61-72 cm/sec). The intake velocity at the DWS intake for OCNGS (73 cm/sec) is similar to that at Salem's cooling water intake.

These factors play an important role in minimizing the number of incidental takes, as well as the potential for mortality, at the OCNGS intakes.

The occurrence of 3 sea turtles at the OCNGS during 1992, one during 1993, and four during 1994, when none had been observed before despite intensive sampling efforts, may be attributable to recent changes in the accessibility of Barnegat Bay and increases in sea tartle population levels.

The modifications to Barnegat Inlet that were completed in 1991 resulted in a significant increase in the depth of the inlet, and concomitant increase in the volume of water moving through the inlet during each tidal cycle. Recent preliminary data indicate that the average tidal prism after completion of the modifications is approximately 2.5 times greater than during the 1980's prior to the modifications (Gebert 1994). In addition, the removal of shoals near the inlet entrance reduced the amount of turbulence associated with breaking surf. These changes may have made the inlet more accessible to sea turtles migrating along the Atlantic coast.

Dramatically smaller numbers of strandings of drowned sea turtles and increases in sea turtle nesting activity on two key beaches have been attributed to the implementation of the NMFS TED requirements in September of 1989 (Crouse et al.1992) . The use of TED's has apparently resulted in a significant reduction in shrimp trawl by-catch mortality, possibly by as much as 97 percent.

According to NMFS estimates (NMFS 1991a), shrimp trawls may have i killed as many as 5,000 to 50,000 loggerhead and more than 700 l Kemp's ridley turtles each year, prior to the use of TED's. This I 5-13 l

l relatively recent reduction in sea turtle mortality may have  !

resulted in an increase in the number of individuals migrating up the Atlantic coast and moving into the estuaries. This theory is supported by recent-trends in incidental sea turtle captures at the Salem Generating Station. From 1980 through 1988, sea turtles were captured at Salem at a rate of approximately 4.2 per year (PSE&G 1989). The rate of capture increased to more than 9 per year during the 1989-1993 period, following implementation of TED's by commercial shrimp trawlers.

It is difficult to predict future trends in the occurrence of sea turtles at the OCNGS. If the number of in'dividuals migrating up and down the Atlantic coast is the major determining factor, incidental captures may. continue to occur if the TED regulations are as effective as they seem to be after the first few years of experience. If accessibility to Barnegat Bay is the most important factor, the frequency of incidental captures at OCNGS may decline with time. Barnegat Inlet is notoriously dynamic, the position of the channel shifting frequently and the volume of the tidal prism continuously decreasing due to sedimentation (Table 3-1; Ashley 1988). As a result, accessibility to the bay through the inlet was probably at its maximum following the completion of the inlet modifications and associated dredging in 1993 and is likely. to decrease with time.

5-14

TABLF[5-1 SEA TURTLE STRANDINGS IN NEW JERSEY COASTAL AND ESTUARINE WATERS REPORTED BY MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING CENTER, 1977-1994.

(SCHOELKOPF 1994) i ANNUAL DISTRIBUTION YEAR LOGGERHEAD RIDLEY LEATHERBACK GREEN UNKNOWN 1977 1 0 1 0 0 l

1978 4 0 2 0 0 I

1979 11 0 , 10 0 0 1980 9 0 2 0 0 1981 4 0 13 0 0 1982 2 0 13 0 0 I

)

1983 8 4 9 0 0 l 1984 8 0 2 0 0 1985 22 1 7 0 0 1986 15 0 2 0 0 1987 37 1 33 0 0 1988 13 0 6 0 0 1989 17 7 3 0 0 1990 26 0 9~ 1 0 1991 55 4 13 2 0 1992 39 5 5 1 0 1993 17 6 28 2 1 1994* 33 4 6 1 1 TOTALS 321 32 164 7 2 i i

• Note: Partial year data for 1994 5-15

TABLE 5-2

^

SEASONAL OCCURRENCE OF SEA TURTLE STRANDINGS IN NEW JERSEY COASTAL AND ESTUARINE WATERS REPORTED BY MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING CENTER AND PUBLIC SERVICE ELECTRIC AND GAS, 1977-1994. l (PSE&G 1989; SCHOELKOPF 1994)

MONTHLY DISTRIBUTION (*)

MONTH LOGGERH8AD RIDLEY LEATHERBACK GREEN UNKNOWN JAN 1(0) 1(0) 3(0) 0 0 FEB 0 0 3(0) 0 0 l

MAR -0 0 1(0) 0 1(0)

APR 0 0 1(0) 0 0 MAY 0 0 2(0) 0 0 JUNE 37(2) 4(0) 4(0) 0 0 JULY 108(1) 10(2) 10(0) 1(0) 0 AUG 77(0) 9(0) 30(0) 2(0). 1(0)

SEP 84(1) 13(0) 56(0) 1(0) 0 OCT 40(0) 4(2) 44(0) 1(0) 0 NOV 5(0) 1(0) 8(0) 2(0) 0 DEC 0 0 2(0) 0 0 TOTALS 352(4) 42(4) 164(0) 7(0) 2(0)

Note:

Number of incidental captures at OCNGS in parentheses.

• • Data for 1994 includes all standings through mid-September.

5-16

TERRESTRIAL STAGES

= Nests U

Nesting Ha tc hlings Females JL v

I Adult Ha tc hlings Females JL U

Adult ,_ Sub-Adult Early Males and

• Juven.le i Immature Stages _ _ _ .

PEL ACIC STAGES Figure 5-1. Generalized sea turtle life cycle (After PSE&G 1989).

l

__..._.___...__________m. _ _ _ _ . _ _

STAllSTICAL 7ONES STATISTICAL ZONE

"* 44 _ _ . _ _ _ . . . _ _

V' 43 44 KEMP'S RIDI.l Y

.- 42 43 N

ci 41 h

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1 26 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 f 25 24 NUMBER OF REPORTED STRANDINGS Figure 5-2. Sea Turtle Strandings, U.S. Atlantic Coast 1987 (After NMFS 1988).

I L F

%, /

3 3

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f 9 -

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o n QE_ m _C--man 212019181716151413121110 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 STATISTICAL ZONE.

Figure 5-3. Sea Turtle Strandings, U.S. Gulf of Mexico 1987 (After NMFS 1988).

5-19

i 50,000 - Kemps Ridley C

(

40.000 -

\ goo.

Detail Decline This Decade 3 % / Year 700* ,

600- *. e E 500- t g 30.000 -

400-2 300-LA. k\ 1978 79 80 81 82'83 84 85 86 87 88

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..........,,........................E.i 80 90 1947 50 60 70 Year Figure 5-4. Estimated Annual Number of Nesting Female Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles (After Ross 1989).

8 5-20

Figure S-5. Number of Kemp's Ridley Nests at Rancho Nuevo Before and Afterimplementation of TED Regulations (Byles,1994).

1800 g o ...

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s. =_

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Figure 5-6. New Jersey Sea Turtle Strandings By County, As Reported By Marine Mammal Stranding Center,1977-1994 (Schoelkopf,1994). '

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, , il 1

Figure 5-7 Relative widths of the mouth of Delaware Bay and Barnegat Inlet. Inset shows Barnegat Inlet vicinity in greater detail.

5-23

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i neve 8 Ught ikm Figure 5-8 -Probable pathway of sea turtles moving from the Atlantic Ocean to OCNGS via Barnegat Inlet.

i i

4 i

i i

i SECTION 6.0 ONSITE INFORMATION 6.1 OCCURRENCE OF SEA TURTLES AT OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION As discussed in Section 5.0, despite intensive sampling efforts, no cea turtles were observed during the 23 years of OCNGS operation prior to 1992; eight sea turtles have been captured since 1992 (Tables 5-2 and 6-1). Three sea turtles were taken in 1992: a daad loggerhead with deep boat propeller wounds was impinged on June 25, 1992; a live loggerhead taken twice in September 1992; and o live Kemp's ridley turtle was taken October 26, 1992. During 1993, the only sea turtle observed at OCNGS was a dead subadult Ktmp's ridley turtle taken on October 17, 1993.

Four sea turtles were taken in 1994: a live juvenile loggerhead in June, a dead loggerhead subadult taken during July (and for which the necropsy showed that death due to infections and boat propeller wounds had occurred prior to capture at OCNGS), and two dead Kemp's ridley juveniles taken during July for which necropsies are incomplete (Table 6-1).

6.1.1 DETAILS OF INCIDENTAL CAPTURES AT OCNGS D scriptions of the circumstances surrounding each of the incidental captures at OCNGS based on available information are provided in Sections 6.1.1.1 through 6.1.1.8. This information is also summarized in Table 6-1. In some cases, observations or inferences about the turtles' behavior or orientation could be made. However, when turtles were removed from more than about 1 m (3 ft) below the surface, or if they were obscured by debris near the surface, detailed information on their exact location and orientation was not always available. The OCNGS Sea Turtle Incidental Sighting / Capture Report Form, an attachment to the Sea Turtle Surveillance, Handling and Reporting Instructions (Appendix I), was developed in order to standardize the gathering of data related to future incidental captures.

6.1.1.1 INCIDENTAL CAPTURE OF JUNE 25, 1992 A dead sea turtle was removed from the dilution water system intake trash bars at approximately 12:50 PM on June 25, 1992. Members of

.the OCNGS Environmental Affairs Department identified it as a juvenile loggerhead measuring 35.5 cm (14 in) carapace length and noted that this turtle had several deep gashes on its side which cppeared to be boat propeller wounds. The Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) of Brigantine, NJ was notified and requested to 6-1

1 perform a necropsy. MMSC confirmed that the specimen was a juvenile Caretta caretta. The MMSC necropsy determined that the cause of death was from boat propeller wounds and that the specimen had died prior to becoming impinged on OCNGS.

6.1.1.2 INCIDENTAL CAPTURES OF SEPTEMBER 9 AND 11, 1992 During the early evening (approx. 6:00 PM) of September 9, 1992 a live sea turtle was noticed by OCNGS Operations personnel during a routine inspection of the circulating water system (CWS) intake trash bars. The turtle was carefully removed by several plant personnel, tentatively identified as a juvenile loggerhead, and released alive into the OCNGS discharge canal. Although this individual was alive and healthy when released, it was noted that it had a small wound surrounded by scar tissue just behind its head. The turtles carapace length was 46.7 cm (18.4 in).

During a mid-afternoon (approx. 2:00 PM) tour of the circulating water system intake structure on September 11, 1992, an OCNGS security officer noticed a live sea turtle impinged on the CWS trash bars. When the turtle was removed from the intake structure, ,

it was identified as a juvenile loggerhead with a neck wound  !

identical to that noted on the loggerhead released at OCNGS on l September 9, 1992. The Marine Mammal Stranding Center was notified l and the turtle was released in healthy condition to MMSC personnel  ;

who took it their Brigantine facility for examination, holding',

tagging and subsequent release. MMSC personnel confirmed . the turtle to be a juvenile loggerhead and observed that it had a small ,

(0.6 cm; 0.25 in) wound with scar tissue on the dorsal midline just I behind the head. MMSC Director Robert Schoelkopf stated that he believed it to be the same juvenile loggerhead which was collected i and released at OCNGS on September 9, 1992. The turtle was tagged i by MMSC personnel and released in the Atlantic Ocean near  !

Brigantine in healthy condition. l l

6.1.1.3 INCIDENTAL CAPTURE OF OCTOBER 26, 1992 During an early morning routine inspection of the CWS intake, an OCNGS Operations department representative noticed a live sea turtle impinged against the trash bars. The turtle was initially found at about 3:00 AM with its head out of the water and pointing upward. The turtle was carefully retrieved as quickly as possible and found to be in good condition. Environmental Affairs department personnel who took custody of the turtle identified it as a subadult Kemp's ridley and made arrangements for its immediate transfer to the MMSC. Although it was impossible to say precisely how long the turtle had been on the intake structure prior to removal, it may have been there between three and eight hours.

MMSC personnel who examined the turtle found that it was very healthy, swam freely, and required no direct care. However, two scars from slash-like wounds were apparent on the plastron, indicating that the turtle had been wounded at some time prior to its incidental capture at OCNGS. The turtle measured 32 cm (12.6 in) carapace length.

6-2

indicating that the turtle had been wounded at some time prior to its incidental capture at OCNGS. The turtle measured 32 cm (12.6 in) carapace length.

The water temperature in the OCNGS intake canal at the time of the impingement was 11.1*C (51*F) . Because of concerns that the turtle may be subject to cold stunning if released into New Jersey coastal waters, MMSC personnel made arrangements for the turtle to be transported to North Carolina prior to being released to ensure that cold stunning would not occur. The turtle was tagged and released on October 31, 1992 at Kure Beach, North Carolina.

6.1.1.4 INCIDENTAL CAPTURE OF OCTOBER 17, 1993 OCNGS Operations department personnel conducting a routine morning (approx.12 noon) inspection of the dilution water system intake on October 17, 1993 noticed a sea turtle impinged against the trash bars. The turtle was found to be limp, immobile and with no apparent breathing when retrieved. OCNGS Environmental Affairs personnel who examined the turtle identified it as a juvenile Kemp's ridley. No tags, prominent scars or slash-like propeller wounds were apparent on the turtle. Minor scrape marks which were observed on the plastron may have occurred during removal of the turtle from the dilution intake area. The turtle measured 26 cm (10.25 in) carapace length.

The water temperature in the intake canal at the time of the impingement was approximately 14.4*C (58*F). Although it was impossible to say precisely how long the turtle had been on the intake structure prior to removal, it may have been between four and eight hours. Within three to four hours after its capture, the turtle was placed in a freezer for temporary storage at an on-site OCNGS biological laboratory. At the suggestion of the National Marine Fisheries Service, arrangements were made to have a necropsy of the turtle performed by sea turtle expert Dr. Steven Morreale of Cornell University and his associates at the New York State College of veterinary Medicine. The following is an excerpt from Dr.

Morreale's necropsy:

... The overall condition of this turtle was one of an otherwise healthy young Kemp's ridley, typical of the many that I have examined in northeastern waters. The lack of food in the gut is typical of the sea turtles that I have seen at this time of year and is indicative of a behavioral change prior to migrating southward. The lack of any obvious trauma would tend to implicate drowning as the cause of death to this animal. The lack of fluid in the lungs is not necessarily contradictory to this conclusion. It is my opinion that sea turtles suffocate underwater rather than inhaling water. The superficial scrapes on the plastron and neck were very fresh and probably occurred on the intake (trash racks).

However, I could not tell whether these occurred prior to or after death. The only potentially contradictory evidence of this turtle having died as a result of 6-3 4 l

impingement, was the condition of the specimen. From the information given to me about the timing of death, the water temperature, and the subsequent handling of the carcass, I expected to observe slightly less decomposition. The moderate levels of decomposition of liver and gonad tissues are usually more representative of a turtle that has been dead for one to two days at those temperatures."

6.1.1.5 INCIDENTAL CAPTURE OF JUNE 19, 1994 During the early af ternoon (approx. 1:30 PM) of June 19, 1994, OCNGS Operations personnel conducting a routine inspection of the circulating water system intake area observed a sea turtle in the

1. 4 CWS intake bay (CWS and DWS intake bays are sequentially numbered from 1 through 6, north to south). The turtle was swimming freely a few feet upstream of the face of the CWS intake trash bars. The turtle was removed carefully and as quickly as possible and found to be active, healthy and with no apparent wounds. OCNGS Environmental Affairs department personnel identified it as a juvenile loggerhead turtle and immediately notified the Marine Mammal Stranding Center of the capture. The turtle measured 36.8 cm (14.5 in) carapace length.

Although it was impossible to determine precisely how long the turtle had been near the intake structure prior to retrieval, it is i believed to have been in the vicinity for a relatively short period of time. Within three to four hours of the time of its capture, the turtle was taken to MMSC. Personnel at MMSC examined and tagged it, and subsequently released it offshore of Brigantine, NJ.

6.1.1.6 INCIDENTAL CAPTURE OF JULY 1, 1994 During a routine mid-morning (approx. 10:00 AM) cleaning of the dilution water system intake trash bars an July 1,1994, a dead sea turtle was retrieved from the trash br.rs in front of DWS bay #5.

The turtle was removed as quickly as possible by OCNGS Operations personnel. It was found to be inactive and exhibited a strong odor of decomposition. Environmental Affairs personnel identified it as a juvenile Kemp's ridley turtle and tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate it. The turtle measured 27.7 cm (10.9 in) carapace length.

Although it was impossible to say precisely how long the turtle had been at the intake structure prior to removal, it is known that the intake bay in which the turtle was found had been cleaned during the previous afternoon. No prominent scars or slash-like propeller wounds were apparent on the turtle. The turtle has been sent to marine turtle experts at the Center for the Environment, Cornell University, who will perform a thorough necropsy. As of this writing, the results of the necropsy are not yet available.

6.1.1.7 INCIDENTAL CAPTURE OF JULY 6, 1994 At approximately 6:15 AM on July 6, 1994, OCNGS Operations 6-4

personnel conducting routine cleaning of the dilution water system intake area removed a sea turtle from the DWS trash bars in bay #4.

OCNGS Environmental Affairs personnel who took custody of the turtle identified it as a subadult loggerhead (carapace length 61.4 cm or 24.5 in) and tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate it.

Although it was impossible to say precisely how long the turtle had been at the intake structure prior to removal, the trash bars at the DWS intake had previously been cleaned 6-8 hours earlier.

At least three deep scars or slash-like propeller wounds were apparent on the turtle. These scars were not fresh because blue mussels were attached and growing within the scars.

Several hours after its capture, the turtle was taken to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) in Brigantine, NJ. MMSC Director Robert Schoelkopf performed a necropsy of the carcass. Mr.

Schoelkopf reported that the turtle did not die at the intake nor did it suffocate. The lungs were found to be in good condition.

The turtle was believed to have died one to two days prior to arriving at OCNGS, probably due to a long term illness.

Decomposition of all four appendages, as well as a large notch along the turtle's marginal scutes, were attributed by Schoelkopf to bacterial or fungal infections.

6.1.1.8 INCIDENTAL CAPTURE OF JULY 12, 1994 At approximately 10:40 PM on July 12, 1994, OCNGS Operations personnel conducting routine cleaning of the dilution water system intakes removed a sea turtle from the trash bars at bay #4. The turtle was found to be inactive, but had no apparent wounds. OCNGS Environmental Affairs personnel who took custody of the turtle identified it as a juvenile Kemp's ridley turtle (26.7 cm or 10.5 in carapace length) and tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate it.

Although it was impossible to say precisely how long the turtle had been at the intake structure prior to removal, it may have been there for up to several hours. No prominent scars or slash-like propeller wounds were evident on the turtle.

This turtle has been sent to marine turtle experts at the Center for the Environment, Cornell University, who will perform a thorough necropsy. As of this writing, the results of the necropsy cre not yet available.

6.1.2 ANNUAL COMPARISON During any particular year the number of sea turtles collected at the Oyster Creek CWS and DWS intakes ranged from zero (in all years from 1970 to 1991) to four during 1994 (Table 6-2). The actual number of loggerheads incidentally captured on the intake ranged between zero and two animals annually. The actual number of Kemp's ridleys incidentally captured on the intake ranged between zero and two animals annually.

Given the very small number of sea turtles captured at OCNGS and 6-5

the fact that they have only occurred during 1992 through 1994, it -

is difficult to predict how many may be captured in the future.

However, based on the levels of incidental capture observed at the intake to date, it is estimated that zero to three loggerheads and zero to three Kemp's ridleys could be expected to be taken from the OCNGS intake during any given year.

6.1.3 SPECIES COMPOSTfION Four loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) and four Kemp's.

ridleys (Leoidochelys kemoli) have been captured at the circulating and dilution water intakes.

The loggerheads were all juveniles or subadults. Carapace lengths (straight length) ranged from 35.5 to 61.4 cm (14 to 24 in) with a mean of 45.1 cm (17.8 in) (Figure 6-1). The ridleys were also juveniles or subadults. Their carapace lengths (straight length) ranged from 26 to 32 cm (10-13 in) with a mean of 28.1 cm (11 in)

(Figure 6-1).

6.1.4 SEASONAL DISTRIBUTION OF OCCURRENCES Two out of eight sea turtle strandings at the OCNGS were reported during June, three during July, one during September, and two during October. No turtles were collected during the winter months (Table 6-3).

The timing of sea turtle occurrences at OCNGS corresponds well with the available information on the seasonal movements of these animals. Based on aerial surveys of pelagic turtles (Shoop et al.

1981), sea' turtles, loggerheads in particular, migrate up the coast from the southeast in the spring and summer months. They move into the bays and coastal waters as water temperatures reach suitable levels and forage on crabs and other preferred foods (Keinath et al. 1987; Morreale and Standora 1989). As the temperatures of the bays and coastal waters start to decline, these animals move southward to the warmer water of the southeast Atlantic Coast.

Recapture information from tagged animals provides evidence for such movements in loggerheads and ridleys (Shoop et al. 1981; Henwood 1987; PSE&G 1989).

6.1.5 CONDITION OF TURTLES CAPTURED AT INTAKE STRUCTURES of the eight turtles captured at the OCNGS intakes, five were dead and three were alive and subsequently released (Tables 6-1 and 6-2). +

The two dead loggerheads both had boat propeller wounds and were partially decomposed when impinged at the dilution water system intake structure at OCNGS. One of the live loggerheads taken at OCNGS, a juvenile, was removed alive from the CWS intake and released in good condition on September 9, 1992. The same individual was subsequently recaptured at the CWS intake on September 11, 1992, delivered to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center where it was examined, found to be healthy and released into the 6-6

Atlantic Ocean. Another live loggerhead juvenile was removed from

-the CWS intake in good condition on June 19, 1994, delivered to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, and also subsequently released into the ocean.

One of the Kemp's ridleys was alive when captured in October 1992 and was successfully transported and released into the Atlantic Ocean in North Carolina by the Marine Mammal Stranding Center after observing its behavior for several days. The three dead ridleys, ,

all juveniles, appeared to be fresh dead. The specimens were sent to Dr. Steven Morreale of the Center for the Environment, Cornell University, to perform necropsies on them. Dr. Morreale reported that the most likely cause of death of the Kemp's ridley captured on October 17, 1993 was drowning at the OCNGS DWS intake (see Section 6.1.1.4). Because the necropsies of the two individuals captured in 1994 have not yet been completed, the cause of death remains uncertain but may be attributable to drowning.

Information collected at Salem Generating Station has shown that both anthropogenic and natural causes of death contribute to sea turtle mortalities in local estuaries (PSE&G 1989). Furthermore, based on other necropsy information available from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, boat-related injuries appear to be common occurrences in both stranded loggerheads and ridleys in Delaware Bay and coastal New Jersey (Schoelkopf 1994). This is consistent with NMFS findings which show boat-related injuries as a common carcass anomaly (NMFS 1998).

I l,

6-7 i

TABLE 6-1. OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION SEA TURTLE INCIDENTAL CAPTURES DATE TIME SPECIES LENGTH CAPTURED AT INTAKE ALIVE BO.\T OF OF AND (cm/in) AND CIRC. OR DIL. TEMP. WHEN FRESH PROP RELEASE COLLECTION CAPTURE LIFE STAGE WEIGHT (kg/lb) WATER INTAKE deg. F (C) CAPTURED? DEAD? WOUNDS? SITE 6/25/92 12:50 PM Loggerhead 35.5 cm/14.0 in Dilution 70.8 F No No Yes N/A juvenile 9.6 kg/21.2 lb Water System (21.6 C) 9/9/92 6:00 PM Loggerhead 46.7 cm/18.4 in Circulating 78.2 F Yes N/A No NJ Juvenile 19.1 kg/42.1 lb Water System (25.6 C) 9/11/92* 2:00 PM Loggerhead 46.7 cm/18.4 in Circulating 79.2 F Yes N/A No NJ juvenile 19.1 kg/42.1 lb Water System (26.2C) 10/26/92 3:00 AM Kemp's ridley 32.0 cm/12.6 in Circulating 52.4 F Yes N/A No NC m subadult 5.7 kg/12.6 lb Water System (11.3 C) 10/17/93 12:00 Noon Kemp's ridley 26.0 cm/10.2 in Dilution 58.0 F No Yes No N/A juvenile 3.0 kg/6.6 lb Water System (14.4 C) 6/19/94 1:30 PM Loggerhead 36.8 cm/14.5 in Circulating 81.1 F Yes N/A No NJ juvenile 9.8 kg/21.6 lb Water System (27.3 C) 7/1/94 10:00 AM Kemp's ridley 27.7 cm/10.9 in Dilution 78.3 F No "

No N/A juvenile 3.6 kg/7.9 lb Water System (25.7 C) 7/6/94 6:40 AM Loggerhead - 61.4 cm/24.2 in Dilution 80.5 F No No Yes N/A subadult 40.4 kg/89.1 lb Water System (26.9 C) 7/12/94 10:40 PM Kemp's ridley 26.7 cm/10.5 in Dilation 83.2 F No "

No N/A Juvenile 3.3 kg/7.3 lb Water System (28.4 C)

NOTES: 1.) No sea turtles were captured during the first 22 full years of OCNGS operation, 1970-1991.

2.) Lengths are straight line carapace lengths.

3.) In all cases, two dilution pumps or four circulating water pumps were operating.

Loggerhead captured on 9/11/92 was the same turtle that was captured on 9/9/92.

" Necropsy currently underway.

- - - - - - - - - M e w - _ - - - - - - - - -

' TABLE 6-2 MORTALITY OF SEA TURTLES CAPTURED FROM INTAKE TRASH BARS AT OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION (LIVE / DEAD)

YEAR LOGGERHEAD RIDLEY TOTALS 1969 0/0 0/0 0/0 1970 0/0 0/0 0/0 1971 0/0 0/0 0/0 1972 0/0 0/0 0/0 1973 0/0 0/0 0/0 1974 0/0 0/0 0/0 1975 0/0 0/0 0/0 1976 0/0 0/0 0/0 1977 0/0 0/0 0/0 1978 0/0 0/0 0/0 1979 0/0 0/0 0/0 1980 0/0 0/0 0/0 1981 0/0 0/0 0/0 1982 0/0 0/0 0/0 1983 0/0 0/0 0/0 1984 0/0 0/0 0/0 1985 0/0 0/0 0/0 1986 0/0 0/0 0/0 1987 0/0 0/0 0/0 1988 0/0 0/0 0/0 1909 0/0 0/0 0/0 1990 0/0 0/0 0/0 1991 0/0 0/0 0/0 1992 1/1 1/0 2/1 1993 0/0 0/1 0/1 1994 1/1 0/2 1/3 TOTALS 2/2 1/3 3/5 6-9

l TABLE 6-3 l SEASONAL OCCURRENCE OF SEA TURTLES AT OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR GENERATING STATION INTAKES MONTHLY DISTRIBUTION MONTH LOGGERHEAD RIDLEY TOTALS i

JAN O O O FEB 0 0 0 MAR 0 0 0  !

APR 0 0 0 '

MAY 0 0 0 JUN 2 0 2 JUL 1 2 3 AUG 0 0 0 SEP 1 0 1 OCT 0 2 2 NOV 0 0 0 DEC 0 0 0 TOTALS 4 4 8 l

l l

1 l

l i

I l

6-10

SEA TURTLE LENGTH FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION CARAPACE LENGTH, STRAIGHT LINE MEASUREMENT (CM);

4

/ /

3

• n e.

l'l'i .. ... ... . . .. -

.- 4 :- ,< /

2 7F p .. . .. ....... . , . .. . . ..

$gq

~ .

!? ,' , . / / ,< /

1

% v

. % , i,- l*. .

. ._ F :

0 / / /

21-2526-3031-3536-4041-4546-5051-5556-6061-65 L. kempii _] O 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0.

C. caretta L_J 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 1 L. kempii = Kemp's ridley C. caretta = Loggerhead Figure 6-1. Frequency Distribution of Carapace Lengths for Loggerhead and Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtles Captured-from Intake Structures at OCNGS.

,e.  % <.m, u . . . . . . . . _ , , ,

SECTION 7.0 ASSESSMENT OF PRESENT OPERATIONS The primary concern with sea turtles at OCNGS is whether or not any station related losses of these endangered or threatened sea turtle species " jeopardizes their continued existence. " Federal regulation (50 CFR 402) defines " jeopardizes the continued existence" as ,

" engaging in an action that reasonably would be expected, directly or indirectly, to reduce appreciably the likelihood of both the survival and recovery of the listed species in the wild by reducing the reproduction, numbers, or distribution of that species."

Therefore, the question relative to OCNGS is: Do the activities associated with the operation of Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station " appreciably reduce" the reproduction, numbers or distribution of either the loggerhead or Kemp's ridley sea turtles?

7.1 IMPACTS OF CONTINUED OPERATION OF OYSTER CREEK NUCLEAR -

r GENERATING STATION ON SEA TURTLE POPULATIONS

~

7.1.1 IMPACTS DUE TO INCIDENTAL CAPTURE (IMPINGEMENT) OF TURTLES ON CWS AND DWS INTAKE TRASH RACKS Eight sea turtles have been retrieved from either the circulating water or dilution water system intake at OCNGS during 1992, 1993 and 1994. Three of these turtles were alive and returned to the Atlantic Ocean by Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) personnel.

Typically the live sea turtles were released near the MMSc in Brigantine, New Jersey. However, one Kemp's ridley was transported by MMSC personnel to warmer Atlantic Ocean waters for release near Kure Beach, North Carolina due to the cold and falling ocean water temperatures in New Jersey at the time. Five of the turtles removed from the intake were dead. Of these, two loggerheads exhibited severe boat prop wounds and were moderately decomposed indicating that death occurred prior to encountering the intake.

The intake trash bars routinely capture floating debris during normal operation; dead and injured turtles which wash ashore, buoyed by the gases of decompositic- would be expected to be part of the debris load in the intake car < removed by the station. The remaining three sea turtles fot pc dead at the OCNGS intake structures were all Kemp's ridleys. Thu most likely cause of death of one of these individuals was drowning at the DWS intake. The necropsies of the remaining two have not been completed but their s deaths may also be attributable to drowning at the DWS intake, i Therefore, it is epparent that there have been only three dead turtles removed from the intake since the plant began operation in 1969 whose cause of death may have been attributable to OCNGS operations.

Based on these levels of incidental capture at the intake, it is estimated that zero to three loggerheads and zero to three Kemp's 7-1

~

i

.ridleys.would be expected to be taken from the intake during any

- i

.given year.

t s 7 .1.1.1' ASSESSMENT OF IMPACT ON LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE POPULATIONS i

The annual number of' loggerheads incidentally captured' at 'OCNGS has - i ranged . from zero to two turtles. Two of . the four loggerheads i captured were alive and released back into the wild. The two dead  !

loggerheads. taken were moderately -decomposed when ' collected,  ;

" suggesting death prior to involvement with the. station. Carapace wounds suggested that,the damage from boat. propellers caused the ,

death of one of:these loggerheads, and the' effects.of:a' variety of '

diseases'had resulted in the death of the other. Therefore, if  ;

live and long dead animals are removed from the assessment of impact, the OCNGS . has had no impact on' loggerhead sea turtle  !

populations to date. -

Adult and subadult - loggerhead sea turtle populations have been recently estimated to be approximately 387,000 .in . the southeast - j United States (see Section 5.0). The. estimated number of mature-females in this same area has been estimated to range between ,

35,000 and 72,000 turtles. (Gordon 1983; Hopkins and Richardson 1984; NMFS 1987). i In order to determine if any future losses attributable to OCNGS

" appreciably reduce" the reproduction, numbers or distribution of

] i

-loggerheads, it is necessary to compare on-site information with l breeding information, population estimates, and distribution' information for this' species. ,

t Although three loggerhead nests were reported from New Jersey in Li the 1980's and 1990's (Schoelkopf 1994), loggerhead nesting in the '

United States primarily occurs along coastal beaches ~in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Also, all. loggerheads incidentally captured at the CWS and DWS intakes were juveniles or subadults too young to reproduce which are more prevalent 'along the mid-Atlantic coast than adults (Van Buskirk and Crowder, 1994).

Therefore, based on the immaturity of the specimens captured and ,

the fact that loggerhead nesting does not typically. occur in New l Jersey, the only loss to loggerhead reproduction would be from production foregone due to the loss of juvenile /subadult animals on.

the intake which could.potentially be recruited into the breeding female population at some time in the future.

The observed worst case incidental catch level for loggerheads at OCNGS has been two turtles during any given year, with no mortality attributable to the OCNGS. However, for the purposes of this assessment we will assume that three deaths per year is a. worst.

case estimate of loggerhead mortality associated with the OCNGS.  ;

If we compare this with the estimated population size of 387,000 l animals, this mortality would represent 0.0008 percent of the l population in the southeast U.S. It should be kept in mind that i the population estimate on which this percentage is based does not.

include juveniles or subadults in the region or populations from 7-2 .<

'l l

include juveniles or subadults in the region or populations from creas other than the U.S. This means that the population size is probably underestimated and the worst case estimate of losses attributable to OCNGS is overestimated. Mortality at this level will not " appreciably reduce" the distribution or numbers of loggerhead sea turtles along the Atlantic Coast of the United States.

7.1.1.2 ASSESSMENT OF IMPACT ON KEMP'S RIDLEY SEA TURTLE POPULATIONS The number of Kemp's ridleys incidentally captured at OCNGS has been one each year during 1992 and 1993 and two during 1994. One of the ridleys captured was alive and was successfully released back into the wild. The Kemp's ridleys found dead at the OCNGS appeared to be fresh dead. The observed worst case incidental catch level was in 1994 when two dead Kemp's ridleys were taken at the DWS intake.

In order to determine if OCNGS " appreciably reduces" the reproduction, numbers or distribution of ridley sea turtles, it is n cessary to compare on-site information with breeding information, population estimates, and distribution information for this species. The adult Kemp's ridley sea turtle population has recently been estimated to be approximately 2,200 turtles based on breeding females observed in Mexico (see Section 5.0). Since this breeding colony is the only known colony in the world, this estimate apparently represents the worldwide breeding population for Kemp's ridleys. All specimens captured at OCNGS were juveniles or subadults not yet capable of reproducing (Van Buskirk and Crowder, 1994). Therefore, based on the immaturity of the specimens captured and the fact that ridley necting does not occur in New Jersey, the only loss to ridley reproduction would be from production foregone due to the mortality of juvenile /aubadult animals on the intake which could potentially be recruited into the breeding female population at some time in the future.

If we assume a worst case incidental mortality rate at OCNGS of three Kemp's ridley sea turtles during any given year and compare it with the estimated population size of 2,200, they would represent 0.14 percent of the population. This pcpulation estimate does not include juveniles and subadults and therefore underestimates the actual population size. It is unlikely that losses at this level would " appreciably reduce" the distribution or numbers of Kemp's ridley sea turtles along the Atlantic Coast of the United States.

7.2 OTHER POTENTIAL STATION IMPACTS ON SEA TURTLES 1

7.2.1 ACUTE THERMAL EFFECTS l 1

The discharges from the circulating water and dilution water ,

cystems of OCNGS are located 45 and 105 m (150 and 450 ft) west of .!

the rcactor building, respectively (Figure 4-2). As discussed in Section 4.0, the temperature rise of the CWS discharge is typically  ;

l 7-3 i

about 11*C- (20*F) above ambient intake canal temperatures. Because of the relatively high discharge velocities (65-95 cm/sec; 2.1-3.1 ft/sec), a sea turtle is not likely to remain in the immediate vicinity of the condenser discharge for any length of time. Furthermore, turtles in the area would easily be able to avoid entrainment in the thermal discharge flow by swimming away.

Downstream of the condenser discharge, complete mixing with ambient temperature water from the DWS occurs, reducing the discharge canal water temperatures by approximately 5.6*C (10*F) when two dilution pumps are operating. The resulting water temperature of approximately 5.6*C (10'F) above ambient should not be stressful for any sea turtle species. Therefore, it is concluded that no adverse acute thermally-related impacts will be sustained by either sea turtle species.

7.2.2 CHRONIC THERMAL EFFECTS The thermal discharge from Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station will not adversely impact the reproduction or migratory behavior of sea turtles inhabiting Barnegat Bay or coastal oceanic waters in the vicinity of OCNGS.

Because the vast majority of - reproduction occurs in the ,

southeastern United States in the case of the loggerhead and Mexico  !

in the case of the Kemp's ridley, no reproductive impacts are expected.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection evaluation of the impact of the OCNGS thermal plume on Barnegat Bay concluded that the effects on fish distribution and abundance were small and localized with few or no regional consequences (Summers et al.

1989). Similarly, due to the shallow nature of the plume, the-relatively small area affected, and the small temperature increases within Barnegat Bay, the movements of sea turtles in the bay should not be adversely impacted. The areal extent of the thermal plume, as measured by the 1.l'c excess temperature isotiherm, depends upon prevailing wind conditions and tidal stage but has been estimated to be less than 1.6 km (5,300 ft) in an east-west direction by 5.6 3 km (18,500 ft) in a north-south direction, under all conditions (Starosta et al.1979, JCP&L 1986) . More_ importantly, as discussed  !

in Section 4.1.3, outside of the immediate vicinity of the mouth of  !

Oyster Creek, the plume is primarily a surface phenomenon. As  !

such, it is easily avoidable by sea turtles which move freely about I in the water column, spending a large portion of their time  !

foraging on the bottom. I 7.2.3 COLD SHOCK Cold shock mortalities of fishes have occurred at the OCNGS in the past. These events occurred when migratory species, attracted to the heated condenser discharge, remained in the discharge canal after they would normally have migrated out of Barnegat Bay in response to falling autumn water temperatures. Subsequent station outages, after ambient water temperatures had fallen below 10*C 7-4 l

(50*F), resulted in cold-shock fishkills. The number and severity of these events has been reduced as a result of the operation of two dilution pumps in the fall, when ambient water temperatures began to drop, to decrease the attractiveness of the discharge canal as overwintering habitat (Summers et al. 1989).

Cold-shock mortality of sea turtles has not been observed and is not expected to occur at the OCNGS for a number of reasons. The

, area where sea turtles could overwinter is extremely limited, including only the immediate vicinity of the condenser discharge, prior to any mixing with the DWS flow. Winter water temperatures in the discharge canal, downstream of the area where CWS and DWS flows mix, routinely fall below 7.2'C (45'F).

The small area where winter water temperatures would be suitable for overwintering sea turtles is characterized by a relatively high discharge velocity of 65-95 cm/sec (2.1-3.1 ft/sec). This would require continuous swimming activity, 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> per day, in order for a sea turtle to maintain its position in the heated discharge flow.

Food availability in the potential overwintering area would be extremely limited and probably insufficient to support the amount of swimming activity required to maintain a turtle in the heated discharge flow throughout the winter. Their preferred food, blue crabs and horseshoe crabs, would not be found in this area during the winter months. In addition, the. canal bottom has a very hard substrate in the vicinity of the condenser discharge, and does not support a wide variety of benthic organisms that might serve as sea turtle forage.

7.2.4 BIOCIDES Low level, intermittent chlorination is used to control biofouling in the OCNGS service water system and circulating water systems. I New Jersey Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) permit conditions limit chlorine discharge levels to a maximum daily concentration of 0.2 mg/l or a maximum daily chlorine usage of 41.7 kg/ day. The main condenser cooling water is chlorinated for approximately 2 hours2.314815e-5 days <br />5.555556e-4 hours <br />3.306878e-6 weeks <br />7.61e-7 months <br /> per day. The chlorine demand in the main condenser discharge consumes almost all remaining free chlorine and results in essentially no chlorine being released to the discharge canal.

Given the very small quantities of chlorine applied, the short duration of the application periods, the fact that residual chlorine levels in the condenser discharge are at or near zero, and the~ fact that the condenser discharge is combined with unchlorinated DWS flow, the use of this biocide will not have any impact on sea turtles that may occur in the discharge canal or '

Barnegat Bay.

7.3 MITIGATING MEASURES  ;

i 7-5 I I

In order to minimize the potential impact of station operations on -

threatened or endangered sea turtles, a variety of mitigating measures have been instituted at OCNGS and are described in this section.

7.3.1 SEA TURTLE SURVEILLANCE AND HANDLING The surveillance and handling requirements necessary to minimize the impact of OCNGS operations on sea turtles are defined in the Sea Turtle Surveillance, Handling, and Reporting Instructions for Operations Personnel (Appendix I). These instructions apply to all Operations Department personnel responsible for conducting surveillances of the intake-structures, cleaning trash bars, and making notifications. This includes Equipment Operators, Group Operating Supervisors, and Group Shift Supervisors.

7.3.1.1 SURVEILLANCE OF CIRCULATING WATER SYSTEM AND DILUTION WATER SYSTEM INTAKES The CWS and DWS intake trash bars, and the area immediately upstream of the trash bars, will be inspected for the presence of sea turtles at least twice per 8-hour shift during the June 1- 1 October 31 period. This represents a doubling of the frequency of  !

intake structure inspections previously specified, and is a response to the incidental capture of two Kemp's ridley sea turtles during July of 1994. Prior to 1994, only two individuals of this species had been observed at the OCNGS, both during the month of October. The increased frequency of inspections previously proposed for the month of October has now been extended throughout the sea turtle season.

The first inspection will normally be conducted one to two hours into the work-shift; the second inspection will normally be-performed five to six hours into the work-shift. Although emergencies or other responsibilities may periodically prohibit strict adherence to this schedule, the intent of the schedule is to prevent the individual inspections from being clustered together in a relatively short time period. The time that each inspection is completed will be recorded on intake area supplemental tour sheets.

Because the sea turtle season typically coincides with the period of greatest debris loading at the intakes, additional inspections of the intakes are often made during this period to ensure that they are sufficiently clean of debris. The cleaning of all of the CWS and DWS intake trash bars may take several hours when debris levels are high. These additional activities at the intake structures provide further opportunities for plant personnel to observe sea turtles.

The Sea Turtle Surveillance, Handling, and Reporting Instructions for Operations Personnel (Appendix I) provides guidance on how to distinguish sea turtles from Diamondback Terrapins. In addition, large color posters which illustrate the distinguishing features of sea turtles have been placed in prominent locations at both the CWS and DWS intake structures (Fig. 7-1). This information is also 7-6

published-in the OCNGS employee newspaper each_ spring in order to

' increase'the level of awareness of station personnel just prior to

.the period when sea turtles are likely to~ occur in the vicinity-of'

- the station.

. Station personnel conducting _ sea turtle surveillances will use portable spot lights during night inspections in order to assist l them in spotting turtles. It should be noted, however, _ that i visibility is' limited to approximately 1 m (3 ft) below the waters surface.

7.3.1.2 SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS DURING TRASH RACK CLEANING' ,

Parsonnel cleaning the CWS and DWS intake trash racks during the June 1 - October 31 period observe the trash rake while cleaning-operations are underway so that the rake may be stopped if-a sea turtle is sighted. The debris gathered from the trash racks is ,

hand raked into tha_ trash car hopper. Personnel performing this taek are instructed to look for sea turtles and to take particular <

care to ensure that sea turtles are not mistaken for horseshoe crabs. The floodlights attached to the trash rake unit (Figs. 4-5 and 4-8) are utilized during the evening hours to aid station parsonnel in spotting sea turtles. Note, however, that organisms are only visible in the upper few feet of water at the intakes because water transparency is typically about 1 m (3 ft).

7.3.1.3 ACTIONS TAKEN IF A SEA TURTLE IS OBSERVED Sea turtles observed on the trash racks or in the vicinity of the intake structures are recovered as soon as possible, taking care to prevent injury to the animal. The method of recovery depends upon the size and location of the turtle. A rescue sling suitable for ,

larger turtles (in excess of 40 pounds), is kept in the fish sampling pool at the CWS intake structure. This. device consists of large-mesh netting on a rigid metal frame with ropes attached to ,

each corner (Fig. 4-10). Long handled dip nets suitable for the smaller turtles most commonly encountered have also been fabricated '

(Fig. 4-11). These dip nets will be stored within easy reach, attached to fences, railings, or buildings at the CWS and DWS intake structures during the sea turtle' season (June 1 - October 31).

Both the rescue sling and the long handled dip nets are adequate for retrieving turtles from the surface to approximately 1 m (3 f t) below the surface. The use of either device requires that the sea turtles be visible from the surface. The retrieval of sea turtles from the trash bars, more than 1 m (3 ft) below the waters surface, requires the use of the trash rake alone or in combination with the dip nets or rescue sling.

7.3.1.4 SEA TURTLE HANDLING AND RESUSCITATION In accordance with the Sea Turtle Sarveillance, Handling and Reporting Instructions for Operations Personnel (Appendix I), sea turtles removed from the intake structures, regardless of their 7-7 y 1

i

condition, are kept moist and out of direct sunlight. Fiberglass -

tubs suitable for holding sea turtles are stored in the fish sampling pool building at the CWS intake structure. Station personnel are cautioned not to assume that an inactive turtle is dead and that they should attempt to revive inactive animals immediately after they are retrieved. Specific guidance on handling and resuscitation is provided in the written instructions and on large color posters placed in prominent locations at both the CWL and DWS intake structures (Fig. 7-2). Special instructions are also provided for cold-stunned turtles (Appendix I).

Live sea turtles are delivered to the local affiliate of the Sea Turtle Salvage and Stranding Network (Marine Mammal Stranding Center in Brigantine, New Jersey) for examination and subsequent release into the ocean. The disposition of any dead sea turtles is determined on a case by case basis after consultation with the NMFS and the NRC. 1 7.4 NOTIFICATION AND REPORTING OF INCIDENTAL CAPTURES i l

Section 9 of OCNGS Procedure 126, entitled Notification of Station l Events, directs station personnel to report all -sightings or captures of sea turtles to the NRC and the NMFS. The Sea Turtle Surveillance, Handling, and Reporting Instructions for Operations Personnel (Appendix I) call for the Group Shift-Supervisor (GSS) to be notified immediately of any sea turtle observations or captures.

The GSS or his designee is required to notify Environmental Affairs personnel as soon as possible and to complete the Sea Turtle Incidental Sighting / Capture Report form, an attachment to Appendix I. Environmental Affairs personnel are required to provide oral notification to the NRC and NMFS within 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> of the event. In addition, a written report is prepared by the Environmental Affairs Department and submitted to both regulatory agencies within 30 days of the event. The written report provides - the details of the capture or sighting including the time and~ place of capture; the length, weight and condition of the turtle; the disposition of the turtle, and any other pertinent information.

7.5 DISCUSSION OF GENERAL IMPACTS ON SEA TURTLE POPULATIONS Five factors have been listed by the federal government as factors contributing to the decline in sea turtle populations (43 FR 146:32800-32811):

1. Destruction or modification of habitat;

2. Overutilization for commercial, scientific or educational purposes;

3. Inadequate regulatory mechanisms;

4. Disease and/or predation; and,

5. Other natural or man-made sources.

7-8

The destruction and/or modification of habitat from coastal development and losses due to incidental capture during commercial fishing are likely the two major factors impacting sea turtle populations along the Atlantic Coast of the United States. The continued development of beachfront and estuarine shoreline areas is likely to be impacting foraging and nesting grounds for several sea turtle species. Incidental capture (take) is defined as the capture of species other than those towards which a particular fishery is directed. As implied by this definition, the commercial fishing industry has been implicated in many of the turtle carcass strandings on southeast U.S. beaches. The annual by-catch of sea turtles by shrimp trawlers in the southeast alone has been estimated by Henwood and Stuntz (1987) to be nearly 48,000 turtles (primarily loggerheads), resulting in over 11,000 turtle deaths per year. In a study conducted for Congress, the National Academy of Sciences concluded that incidental drowning in shrimp trawls " kills more sea turtles than all other human activities combined...", and may result in as many as 55,000 sea turtle drownings r.nnually in U.S. waters (Magnuson et al. 1990).

The drowning of sea turtles in commercial fishing nets is not the only anthropogenic source of mortality. Other human-related causes include injuries from encounters with boats, plastic ingestion, and entanglement in trash. In New Jersey and New York, boat related damage is a commonly observed injury in stranded turtles. The loggerhead, because it is the most abundant sea turtle in U . S .

coastal waters, is the species most frequently encountered by fishermen and other boat operators. More research needs to be l I

conducted to identify all of the sources of sea turtle mortality and to develop methods of mitigating those losses.

The unintentional entrapment of sea turtles during non-fishery related industrial processes, such as the generation of electricity, is another source of incidental capture and mortality.

We have documented the capture of eight sea turtles at the OCNGS during more than 24 years of operation. Only three of these i turtles may have died as a result of their encounter with the station's intakes. Relative to losses from other sources, such as commercial fishery by-catch, this loss is extremely small. Even though any loss of any individual of an endangered or threatened species is important, the magnitude of the potential losses of loggerhead and Kemp's ridley sea turtles from Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station would not be expected to significantly impact j the U.S. Atlantic coast populations of these sea turtle . species.

7-9

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    . _ _ _ -         _  -_      ____________._____.__m_                            - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ . _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . . _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ - - _ . - - . - _ _ - - - _ - _ - _ _ _

7 j SECTION 8.0  ! REFERENCES l 50 CFR 17.11; Endangered and Threatened Wildlife J 50 CFR 222.23(a); Endangered Fish or Wildlife Permits, (Under National Marine Fisheries Service jurisdiction) 50 CFR 227.4(b); Threatened Fish and Wildlife, Enumeration of Threatened Species 50 CFR 402; Interagency cooperation - Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Joint regulations of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service). 43 FR 146:32800-32811; Proposed rulemaking listing loggerhead, Ridley and green turtles as threatened or endangered species (Joint regulations of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and National Marine Fisheries Service). l Able, K. 1993. Personal communication. Center for Coastal and Environmental Studies and Department of Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. Ashley, G. M. 1988. Barnegat Inlet, New Jersey Tidal Prism Study, Scptember 23, 1987. Rutgers University, New Brunswick, N.J. 39 pp. Barnes, R. S. K. 1980. Coastal Lagoons: The Natural History of a Neglected Habitat. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, England. 105 pp. Bjorndal, K. A., A. B. Meylan and B. J. Turner. 1983. Sea turtles nesting at Melbourne Beach, Florida. I. Size, growth and reproductive biology. Biol. Conserv. 26:65-77. Burke, V. J., S. J. Morreale and E. A. Standora. 1994. Diet of the Kemp's ridley sea turtle, Lepidochely_q kempii, in New York I waters. Fishery Bulletin 92:26-32 (1994). ) Byles, R.A 1994. Personal Communication. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. National Sea Turtle Coordinator, Albuquerque, N.M. Bustard, H. R. 1972. Sea Turtles. Natural history and conservation. Taplinger Publishing Cotapany, NY, 220 pp. Carpenter, J. H. 1963. Concentration distribution for material discharged into Barnegat Bay. Pritchard-Carpenter, Consultants and The Johns Hopkins Univ., Unpub. Tech. Rept., 13 pp. Carr, A. 1952. Handbook of Turtles. Comstock Publishing 8-1

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Associates, Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY. Carr, A. , M. Carr, and A. Meylan, 1978. The ecology and migrations of sea turtles: 7. The West Caribbean Green Turtle Colony. Bull. Amer. Mus . Nat. Hist. 162(1): 1-4 6.Carr, A. 1986. New Perspectives on the Pelagic Stage of Cea Turtle Development, U.S. Uopt. Comm. NOAA, NMFS, NOAA Technical Mem. NMFS-SEFC-190, 36 pp Chizmadia, P. A., M. J. Kennish, and V. L. Ohori. 1984. Physical Description of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. In: Kennish, M. J. and R. A. Lutz, eds., Springer-Verlag, New York, pp. 1-28. Crouse, D. T. 1985. Biology and conservation of sea turtles in North Carolina. Unpubl. Ph.D. Dissert. Univ. Wisconsin, Madison. Crouse, D. T., M. Donnelly, M. Bean, A. Clark, W. Irvin and C. Williams. 1992. The TED Experience: Claims and Reality. A report to the Center for Marine Conservation, Environmental Defense Fund, National Wildlife Federation. Washington, D.C. 17 pp. Danila, D. J., C. B. Milstein, and Associates. 1979. Ecological' studies for the Oyster Creek Generating Station. Progress report for the period September 1977-August 1978. Finfish, Shellfish, and Plankton. Ichthyological Associates, Inc., Ithaca, New York. 391 pp. Dodd, K., Jr., 1988. Synopsis of the Biological Data on the Loggerhead Turtle Caretta caretta (Linneaus 1758). U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serv., Biol. Rep. 88(14). 110 pp. Ehrhart, L. M. 1980. Marine turtle nesting in north Brevard County, Florida, in 1979. Fla. Sci. 43:27 (abstract). Ecological Analysts, Inc., (EA), 1981. Ecological studies at Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station. Progress report, September 1979 - August 1980. Prepared for Jersey Central Power and Light Co., Morristown, New Jersey. EA Engineering, Science and Technology, Entrainment and impingement Inc. (EA). 1986. studies at Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, 1984-1985. Prepared for GPU Nuclear Corporation, Parsippany, New Jersey. EA Report GPU 44G. EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc. 1986a. Impingement studies at Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station, Progress Report, November 1935-July 1986. Prepared for GPU Nuclear Corporation, Parsippany, New Jersey. EA Report GPU62A. Florida Power & Light Company. 1983. Florida's Sea Turtles. 46 pp. Frazer, N. B. 1986. Survival from egg to adulthood in a declining population of loggerhead turtles, Caretta caretta. Herptologica 42(1):47-55. 8-2

F , Gnrmon, L. 1981. Tortoise marsh wallow? Science News 119(14) Apr.:217. G:bert, J. 1994. Personal communication. U.S. Army Corps of i Engineers. Coastal Engineering Section, Philadelphia, PA. Gordon, W. G., ed. 1983. National report for the country of the United States. Pages 3-423 to 3-488 P. Bacon et al., eds., In l Proc. Western Atlantic Turtle Symp. Vol 3, Appendix 7: National l R ports. Center for Environmental Education, Washington D.C. l I' GPU Nuclear Corporation. 1993. Chapter 2. Site Characteristics. ID: Updated Final Safety Analysis Report, Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station. Parsippany, N.J. H nwood, T. A. and L. H. Ogren. 1987. Distribution and migrations of-immature Kemp's ridley turtles (Lepidochelys kempii) and green turtles (Chelonia mydas) off Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Northeast Gulf Science, 9(2):153-160. Hnnwood, T. A. and W. E. otuntz. 1987. Analysis of sea turtle captures and mortalities during commercial shrimp trawling. Fish. Bull. 85:813-817. Henwood, T. A. 1987. Movements and seasonal changes in loggerhead turtle Caretta caretta aggregations in the vicinity of Cape Ccnaveral, Florida (1978-1984). Biol. Conserv. 40:191-202. Hildebrand, H. 1982. A historical review of the status of sea turtle populations in the western Gulf of Mexico. In Bjorndal, K. (cd.), Biology and conservation of sea turtles. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D. C. pp. 447-453. , Hirth, H. F. 1971. Synopsis of biological data on green turtle Chelonia mydas (Linneaus) 1758. FAO Fish. Synop. No. 85. j Hopkins, S. R. and J. I. Richardson, eds. 1984. Recovery Plan for Marine Turtles. U.S. Dept. Comm. NOAA, NMFS, St. Petersburg, FL, 355 pp. Jersey Central Power and Light Company. 1978. 316(a) and 316(b) 1 Dnmonstration, Oyster Creek and Forked River Nuclear Generating l Stations. Prepared by Jersey Central Power and Light Company, Morristown, New Jersey.  ; Jorsey Central Power and Light Company. 1986. Chapter 2. Hydrothermal Considerations. In: Oyster Creek and Forked River 3 Nuclear Stations 316(a) & (b) Demonstration. Morristown, N.J. { Keinath, J. A., J. 1. . Musick and R. A. Byles. 1987. Aspects of the biology of Virginia's sea turtles: 1978-1986. Va. J. Sci. J 38(4):329-336. Kennish, M. J. and R. K. Olsson. 1975. Effects of thermal i discharges on the microstructural growth of Mercenaria mercenaria, i Environ. Geol., 1:41-64. 8-3

                                       -_                                             l

Kennish, M. J. and R. A. Lutz, eds. 1984. Ecology of Barnegat - Bay, New Jersey. (Lecture notes on coastal and estuarine f studies:6.) Springer-Verlag, New York, NY, 396 pp. I Kennish, M. J. 1978. Effects of thermal discharges on mortality of Mercenaria mercenaria in Barnegat Bay, New Jersey. Environ. Geol., 2:223-254. Kraemer, J. E . 1979. Variation in incubation length of loggerhead

       'sca turtle, Caretta caretta, clutches on the Georgia coast Unpubl. M.S. Thesis, Univ. Georgia, Athens.

Lazell, J. D. 1980. New England waters: Critical habitat for l marine turtles. Copeia (2):290-295. ' l Lutcavage, M. and J. A. Musick. 1985. Aspects of the biology of I sea turtles in Virginia. Copeia 1985(2):449-456. Makai, J. 1993. Personal communication. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy. Trenton, NJ. i l Mager, A. 1985. Five-year Status Reviews of Sea Turtles Listed Under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. U.S. Dept. Comm. NOAA, NMFS, St. Petersburg, FL, 90 pp. Magnuson, J. J., K. A. Bjorndal, W. D., DuPaul, G. L. Graham, D. W. Owens, C. H. Peterson, P. C. H. Pritchard, J. I. Richardson, G. E. Saul, and C. W. West. 1990. Decline of the sea turtles: causes and prevention. National Academy Press, Washington, D. C. 274 pp. Mantzaris, C., National Marine Fisheries Service, 1993. Personal correspondence. Marcellus, K. L. 1972. Fishes of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, with particular reference to seasonal influences and the possible ef fects of thermal discharges. Rutgers Univ. , Unpub. Ph.D. Thesis, 190 pp. Marquez, R. 1989. Status Report of the Kemp's Ridley Turtle, Pages 159 to 165. In: L. Ogren et al., eds., Proc. Second Western Atlantic Turtle Symposium. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington D.C. M6rquez, R., A. Villanueva and M. Sanchez. 1982. The population of Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle in the Gulf of Mexico, Lepidochelys kempii, In: Bjorndal, K., ed. Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles. Proc. World Conf. of Sea Turtle Conserv. Smithsonian Inst. Press. Washington, D. C. pp. 159-164. McLain, J. 1993. Personal communication. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Energy. Trenton, NJ. Mendonca, M. T. and L. M. Ehrhart. 1982. Activity, Population size and structure of immature Chelonia mydas and Caretta caretta in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida. Copeia (1):161-167. 8-4

I Meylan, A. B., 1982. Sea turtle migration - evidence from tag returns. D: Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles. Bjorndal, K., ed., Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D. C., pp. 91-100. Morreale, S. J. and E. A. Standora. 1989. Occurrence, Movement cnd Behavior of the Kemp's Ridley and other Sea Turtles in New York Wcters. Annual Report for April 1988 - April 1989. Okeanos Ocean Research Foundation, 35 p. 1 Morreale, S. J., S. S. Standove and E. A. Standora. 1988. Kemp's

                                                                                                                                           ~

Ridley Sea Turtle Study 1987-1988, occurrence and Activity of the i Kemp's Ridley (Lecid_pchelys kemoli) and other Species of Sea ) Turtles of Long Island, New York. New York State Dept. of Environmental Conservation, Contract No. C001693. Mortimer, J. A. 1982. Factors influencing beach selection by nesting sea turtles, h Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles. Bjorndal, K. , ed. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D. C., pp. 45-51. 1 National Marine Fisheries Service. 1985. Five Year Status Reviews of Sea Turtles Listed Under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. NMFS Protected Species Management Branch, Washington, D. C. National Marine Fisheries Service. 1987. Final Supplement to the Final Environmental Impact Statement on Listing and Protecting the Green Sea Turtle, Loggerhead Sea Turtle and the Pacific Ridley Sea Turtle under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Office, St. Petersburg, FL. 48 pp. National Marine Fisheries Service. 1988. Endangered Species Act l Section 7 Consultation, Biological opinion: Maintenance Dredging of the Cape Canaveral Harbor Entrance Channel. National Marine l Fisheries Service, Southeast Office, St. Petersburg, FL. National Marine Fisheries Service and U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1991a. Recovery Plan for U.S. Population of Loggerhead Turtle. National Marine Fisheries Service, Washington, D. C. 64 pp. National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1991b. Recovery Plan for U.S. Population of Atlantic Green Turtle. National Marine Fisheries Service, Washington, D. C. 52 pp. National Marine Fisheries Service. 1992a. Recovery Plan for Leatherback Turtles in the U. S. Caribbean, Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. National Marine Fisheries Service, Washington, D. C. l 65 pp. National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife l Service. 1992b. Recovery Plan for the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle l (Lepidochelvs kemoii). National Marine Fisheries Service, j Washington, D. C. 40 pp. j Nelson, D. A. 1988. Life History and Environmental Requirements 8-5 1 1

  'of Loggerhead Turtles.        U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Biol.                                                  Rep.      .

88(23). U.S. Army Corps of Engineers TR EL-86-2(Rev.). 34 pp. Uew Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. 1973. Studies of the Upper Barnegat Bay System, Misc. Rept. No. 10 M, N.J. Dept. Environ. Prot., 174 pp. , Ogren, L. H. 1989. Distribution of juvenile and sub-adult Kemp's ridley sea turtle: Preliminary results from 1984-1987 surveys. J.n: Caillouet, C. W. and A. M. Landry, eds. First International Symposium on Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle Biology, Conservation and Management. Texas A & M Univ., Galveston, TX, Oct. 1-4, 1985. TAMU-SG-89-105, pp. 116-123. Parsons, J. J. 1962. The Green Turtle and Man. Univ. of Florida Press, Gainesville, FL. 126 pp. Pritchard, P. 1966. Sea turtles of the Guianas. Bull. Florida State Mus. 13(2):85-140. Pritchard, P. 1971. The Leatherback or Leathery Turtle Dermochelys coriacea. IUCN Monog. No. 1, 39 pp. Marine Turtle Series. Pritchard, P. and R. Marquez. 1973. Kemp's Ridley turtles or Atlantic ridley, Leoidochelys kempii. IUCN Monog. No. 2, Marine Turtle Series. 30 pp. Pritchard, P. 1983. Leatherback Turtle. J.n Bacon, P. et al., eds., Proc. Western Atlantic Turtle Symp. Vol 1. Center for Environmental Education, Washington D. C. pp. 125-132. Pritchard, P., P. Bacon, F. Berry, A. Carr, J. Fletemeyer, R. Gallagher, S. Hopkins, h. Lankford, R. Marquez, L. Ogren, W. Pringle, H. Reichardt and R. Witham. 1983. Manual of Sea Turtle Research and Conservation Techniques (Bjorndal, K. and G. Balazs, eds.). Center for Environmental Education, Washington, D. C., Second ed., 108 pp. Public Service Electric and Gas Company. 1989. Assessment of the Impacts of the Salem and Hope Creek Generating Stations on Kemp's Ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) and Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) Sea Turtles. PSE&G Nuclear Department, Newark, N.J. 68 pp. Richardson, T. H., J. I. Richardson, C. Ruckdeschel and M. W. Dix. 1978. Remigration patterns of loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta nesting on Little Cumberland and Cumberland Islands, Georgia. Mar. Res. Publ. 33:39-44.Ross, J. P. 1982. Historical decline of loggerhead, ridley, and leatherback sea turtles. , Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles. Bjorndal, K., ed. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C., pp. 189-195. Ross, J. P. 1989. Status of Sea Turtles: 1. Kemp's Ridley. A Report to the Center for Marine Conservation, Washington, D. C. I 8-6

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Ross, J. P. and M. A. Barwani. 1982. Review of sea turtles in the Arabian area. Pages 373-383. In: Bjorndal, K. (Ed.), Biology and conservation of sea turtles. Smithsonian Institution Press, i Washington, D. C. Schoelkopf, R. 1994. Personal Communication. Marine Mammal Stranding Center, Brigantine, N.J. Schroeder, B. A. and A. A. Warner. 1988. 1987 Annual Report of 4 the Sea Turtle Strandings and Salvage Network, Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States, January-December 1987. National ( Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Center, Cont. No. CRD-87/88-28, Miami, FL., 45 pp. Schulz, J. P. 1982. Status of sea turtle nesting in Surinam with notes on sea turtles nesting in Guyana and French Guiana. Pages 435-437 ID K. Bjorndal (ed.), Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles. Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington D.C. Schulz, J. P. 1975. Sea turtles nesting in Surinam. Zool. Verh. (Leiden) No. 143. Shoop, C. P. and C. Ruckdeschel, 1982. Increasing turtle strandings in the Southeast United States: A complicating factor. Biol. Conserv. 23(3):213-215. Shoop, C. P., T. Doty, and N. Bray. 1981. Sea Turtles in the Region of Cape Hatteras and Nova Scotia in 1979. Pages 1-85 In A characterization of marine mammals and turtles in the mid- and north-Atlantic areas of the U.S. Outer Continental Shelf, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, R.I. pp. 1-85. Squires, H. J. 1954. Records of marine turtles in the Newfoundland area. Copeia 1954:68. Starosta, T., M. Roche, D. Ballengee, and V. Ohori. 1981. Hydrographic Study of Barnegat Bay, 1979. Unpublished technical report. GPU Nuclear Corporation, Parsippany, NJ 49 pp. Summers, J. K., A. F. Holland, S. B. Weisberg, L. R. Cadman, C. F. Stroup, R. L. Dwyer, M. A. Turner, and W. Burton. 1988. Technical review and evaluation of thermal effects studies and cooling water intake structure demonstration of impact for the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station. Task 1 - Final Report, Versar Inc. Prepared for New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, Trenton, New Jersey.Tatham, T. R., D. J. Danila, D. L. Thomas, and Associates. 1977. Ecological Studies for the Oyster Creek Generating Station. Progress report for the period September 1975-August 1976. Vols. 1 & 2, Ichthyological Associates, Inc , Ithaca, New York. Tatham, T. R., D. J. Danila, D. L. Thomas, and Associates. 1978. Ecological studies for the Oyster Creek Generating Station. Progress report for the period September 1976-August 1977. Vols. 1 & 2, Ichthyological Associates, Inc. Ithaca, New York. 8-7

r Thompson, N. B. 1984. Progress Report on estimating density and abundance of marine turtles: results of first year pelagic surveys in the southeast U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, Miami, FL. 32pp. Tucker, A. D. 1988. A summary of leatherback turtle Dermochelys coriacea nesting at Culebra, Puerto Rico, from 1984-1987 with management recommendations. Rept. submitted to U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 33 pp. U.S. Atomic Energy Commission. 1974. Final Environmental Statement Related to Operation of Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station. AEC Docket No. 50-219. Vouglitois, J. J. 1983. The ichthyofauna of Barnegat Bay, New Jersey - relationships between long-term temperature fluctuations and the population dynamics and life history of temperate estuarine fishes during a five-year period, 1976-1980. Master's thesis. Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ. Witherington, B. E. and L. M. Ehrhart. 1989. Status and reproductive characteristics of green turtles (Chelonia mvdas) nesting in Florida. In Ogren, L., F. Berry, K. Bjorndal, H. Kumpf, R. Mast, G. Medina, H. Reichart, and R. Witham (eds.), Proceedings of the Second Western Atlantic Turtle Symposium. pp. 351-352. NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-SEFC-226. Wolke, R. E. and A. George. 1981. Sea Turtle Necropsy Manual, U.S. Dept. Comm. NOAA, NMFS, NOAA Technical Mem. NMFS-SEFC-24, 20 pp. Van Buskirk, J. and L. B. Crowder. 1994. Life-history varir. tion in marine turtles. Copeia 1994 (1): 66-81. l l l f 8-8

APPENDIX I Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Sea Turtle Surveillance, Handling and Reporting Instructions for Operations Personnel Revision 0 8/20/94 m_ - _ _ - - . _ , - - - - - - - - . _ - - . , ,-- - - - . _ - - - _ - - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ , _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ . _ . _ _ _ _ . _

     ~1.0    Purpose To define the surveillance, handling and reporting requirements necessary to minimize the impact of station operation on sea turtles as well as document the occurrence of sea tunles in the vicinity of the station's intake stmetums.
    . 2.0    Applicability                                                                                                                                                             .

These instmetions apply to all operations personnel responsible for conducting surveillances of the intake stmetures, cleaning trash racks and making notifications. This includes Equipment Operators, Group Operating Supervisors and Group Shift Supervisors. 3.0 Surveillance of Circulating Water Pump and Dilution Pump Intakes 3.1 Seasonality and Frequency During the June 1-October 31 period the Circulating Water Pump and the Dilution Pump intake trash racks, and the ama immediately upstream of the trash mcks, will be inspected at least twice per 8-hour shift for the presence of sea tunles. 1 i 3.2 Timing The first inspection should normally be conducted one to two hours into the work-shift; the second inspection should normally be conducted five to six hours into the work-shift. l It is recognized that other responsibilities or emergencies may periodically n prohibit adhemnce to this schedule. The intent of the schedule is to prevent ti e individual inspections from being clustered together in a relatively short time period. 3.3 Conduct of Inspections The trash racks and the area immediately upstream of the tmsh racks should be inspected for the presence of sea tunles. Note that sea turtles are distinguishable from Diamondback Terrapins and Snapping Turtles by the , pmsence of swimming flippers on sea turtles, instead of walking feet with claws. In addition, unlike Terrapins and Snapping Turtles, sea turtles are unable to completely withdraw their heads into their shell (see Attachment I). Information on how to identify sea turtles is also posted at the Circulating Water and Dilution Pump intake structures. 1 _ ___ _ m_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ -

1 Ponable spot lights shall be used during night inspections to assist in spotting sea turtles. The time that each inspection of the Circulating Water Intake and Dilution Intake is completed shall be recorded on the intake area supplemental tour sheets. 4.0 Trash Rack Cleaning Personnel cleaning the Circulating Water and Dilution intake trash racks during the June 1-October 31 period shall observe the trash rake during the cleaning operation l so that the rake may be stopped if a sea turtle is sighted. It may be necessary to utilize the nets described in Section 4.1.1 in order to prevent injury to the tunle while it is removed from the trash racks. l As the debris removed from the tmsh racks is hand raked into the tmsh car hopper, the Equipment Operator should observe the material to ensum that sea turtles are not present. Particular care must be taken to ensure that sea turtles am not mistaken for horseshoe crabs.

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4.1 Actions Required if a Sea Tunle is Observed 4.1.1 Sea Turtles observed on the trash racks shall be recovered immediately, taking care to prevent injury to the animal. Iong handled dip nets suitable far smaller tunles are located at the Circulating Water Intake and at the Dilution Pump Intake structures, hanging on the fence adjacent to the sea turtle posters. A rescue sling that is suitable for larger turtles is stored in the fish sampling pool at the Circulating Water Intake. When handling sea tunles, do not assume an inactive tun!e is dead. When water temperatures are relatively low, for example during the fall, inactive turtles may only be " cold-stunned", resulting in a tempomry, coma-like condition (see Attachment II). Keep clear of the head and front flippers which have claws. Pick up sea turtles by the front and back of the top shell. Do not pick them up by the flippers, the head or the tail. 4.1.2 The presence of any sea turtle, alive or dead, on the trash mcks or in l the vicinity of the intake stmetures must be reported in accordance with sections 4.1.3 and 4.1.4 of these Instmetions. 4.1.3 The Group Shift Supervisor (Ext. 4667) shall be notified immediately. 4.1.4 The Group Shift Supervisor, or his designee, shall notify Environmental Affairs as soon as possible in accordance with 2 <

Procedum 126 " Notification of Station Events". 4.1.5 Sea turtles removed from the intakes, mgardless of their condition, should be kept moist and out of direct sunlight until Environmental Affairs personnel arrive to remove them from the site. Fiberglass tubs suitable for holding sea turtles are stored in the fish sampling pool building at the Circulating Water intake structure. A small amount of intake water may be added to the tub, but do not cover the mouth or nostrils with water. Diamondback Terrapins or Snapping Turtles removed from the intake stmetures may be released into the discharge canal; no additional actions or notification are requimd for these species. 4.1.6 Attempts should be made to revive inactive sea turtles immediately --..- --. after they are retrieved. Normally, this activity would be performed by Envimnmental Affairs personnel, however, if they do not arrive within a few minutes after the sea turtle is retrieved, resuscitation efforts should be initiated by Station personnel. Guidance on handling and resuscitation is provided in Attachment II and is posted at the intake structures. 4.1.7 After consulting with Environmental Affairs personnel regarding the identity and condition of the sea turtle, the Group Shift Supervisor or his designee shall make the appropriate regulatory agency notification , in accordance with Procedure 126 " Notification of Station Events". 1 4.1.8 The Gmup Shift Supervisor or his designee shall complete the Sea Turtle Incidental Sighting / Capture Report form (Attachment III) and submit it to Environmental Affairs. l 3

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A'ITACInfENT II Sea Tunie Handling and Resuscitation Procedures . Handling: Do not assume an inactive turtle is dead. Pressing the soft tissue around the nose of a sea tunle may result in an eye reflex in e comatose turtle. The onset of rigor monis is often the only definite indication that a turtle is dead. ~ Keep clear of the head. Adult male sea turtles of all species other than leatherbacks have claws on their foreflippers. Keep clear of slashing foreflippers. Pick up sea turtles by the front and back of the top shell (carapace). Do not pick up sea tunles by flippers, the head or the tail. Resuscitation Procedures: If a turtle appears to be comatose (unconscious), attempts should be made to revive it immediately. These procedures am designed to void the tunles' lungs of water by active pumping and passive drainage. Sea tudies have been known to revive up to 24 hours after these procedures have been followed:

1) Place the tunle on its back and gently pump the breastplate. This may stimulate the i animal to breathe and allow water to drain, i l

2) Place the animal on its breastplate and raise the hindquarters. The degree of el:vation

{ depends on the size of the tunle; greater elevations am required for larger turt'.es. l

4) Keep the turtle shaded and moist and observe for 24 hours.

Special Instmetions for Cold-Stunned Turtles: l Comatose turtles found in water less than 10*C (50'F) are pmbably " cold-stunned". This is I most common in the fall and early winter. If a tunle appears to be cold-stunned, the following applies: To increase blood flow, flap the flippers and rub the skin. Gradually, (over a period of six hours) move the tunle to a warmer area. If possible, place the animal in a few inches of water that is warmer than the water it was removed from. Do not cover the mouth or nostrils with water. It is not imperative that sea tunles be kept in water. Dead sea turtles should be retained for necropsy.

ATTACHMENT lli OCNGS SEA TURTLE INCIDENTAL SIGHTING / CAPTURE REPORT FORM 1 R: porter's full name (print): Dept. Tel. no. (GSS or designee) Dits of sighting / capture: Time of day of ( mm-dd-yy ) sighting / capture: hrs. Who first observed the turtle? (print name): Tel. no. Location of Circ. waterintake Which bay? # Circ. p Jmps op.? sighting / capture: Dilution intake Which bay? # Dil. pumps op.? Turtia behavior Was turtle impinged against trash rack? and orientation: Was turtle swimming near trash racks? Other (Describe below) First observation: Was turtle first observed at or near the water surface? Brought up from below surface with trash rake? Other (Describe below) Mathod of Trash rake When was trash rack in I capture: O oignet bar with turtie iast cieaae67 Sling (Date & time) Condition of Alive specimen: Stunned or comatose intake water temperature l Dead / decomposed when sighted / captured: F. ~ 1 Not sure Ramtrks: .}}