ML20216F961
| ML20216F961 | |
| Person / Time | |
|---|---|
| Site: | Brunswick  |
| Issue date: | 03/09/1998 |
| From: | Roe J NRC (Affiliation Not Assigned) |
| To: | Coogan C COMMERCE, DEPT. OF, NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE |
| References | |
| TAC-M99318, NUDOCS 9803190152 | |
| Download: ML20216F961 (3) | |
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$ t UNITED STATES j
o ~ ,t j NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION WASHINGTON D.C. 30666-0001
- ' March 9, 1998 Ms. Colleen Coogan National Marine Fisheries Service Southeast Region Protected Species Division 9721 Executive Center Drive North St. Petersburg, FL 33702
SUBJECT:
BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF IMPACTS TO SEA TURTLES AT THE BRUNSWICK STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT (TAC NO. M99318)
Dear Ms. Coogan:
In accordance with Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act (ESA or the Act) and 50 CFR Part 402 - Interagency Cooperation - Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended, ,
the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) requests initiation of formal consultation regarding the taking of endangered and threatened species of sea turtles at the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant (BSEP), located on the Cape Fear River estuary in North Carolina. To support the formal consultation process, the enclosed biological assessment (BA) is submitted for your review.
The BA was developed after the NRC became aware of increases in the numbers of entrapped sea turtles at the BSEP. The issue was discussed during an August 13,1997, meeting at the BSEP site between representatives of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Carolina Power & Light (CP&L, the licensee for the BSEP), the State of North Carolina, and the NRC.
The BA, prepared by CP&L and submitted to the NRC by letter dated January 26,1998, assesses the impacts associated with the continued operation of the BSEP on sea turtles protected under the Act.
The BA outlines the historical sea turtle take trends. In the time period from 1986 through 1997, a total of 136 sea turtles were collected and removed from the BSEP intake canal. Of these,110 turtles were released alive,26 were removed dead. The BA also describes the mitigation and monitoring programs CP&L has implemented. In 1982, as part of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit process, CP&L installed a permanent diversion structure across the mouth of the plant intake canal to minimize the number of large fish and shell fish entering the intake canal. The diversion structure has resulted in blocking sea turtle movement into the intake canal as well. CP&L has also implemented an aggressive sea turtle patrol program to determine the presence of sea turtles in the plant's intake canal.
Once turtles are identified as being present in the canal, CP&L has implemented a capture and release program, which is permitted by the State of North Carolina. In addition to these formal activities, CP&L also participates on a voluntary basis in promoting sea turtle awareness in the local community.
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' CP&L has continued to evaluate enhancements to the sea turtle program. In July 1997, CP&L \
installed experimental fixed six-inch blocker panels on the diversion structure to further decrease turtle entrapment. Larger than anticipated amounts of corrosion on the me ,
of the blocker panels has occurred, causing sections of the blocker panels to be ineffective.
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C. Coogan March 9, 1998 Although CP&L is continuing its work to find an acceptable replacement for the blocker panel material, the BA does not take credit for the blocker panels. This is a change in what was discussed at the August 1997, meeting.
The NRC staff has reviewed the BA. The staff agrees with the CP&L conclusion, and believes that the continued operation of the BSEP will not jeopardize the continued existence of the five species of sea turtles evaluated in the BA. The NRC anticipates that your office will render its biological opinion within the next several months. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Claudia M. Craig at (301) 415-1053.
Sincerely, pk W. Roe, Acting Director ision of Reactor Program Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-324, 50-325
Enclosure:
Biological Assessment cc w/ encl: See next page
C. Coogan 2 March 9, 1998 l
Although CP&L is continuing its work to find an acceptable replacement for the blocker panel material, the BA does not take credit for the blocker panels. This is a change from what was discussed at the August 1997, meeting.
The NRC staff has reviewed the BA. The staff agrees with the CP&L conclusion, and believes that the continued operation of the BSEP will not jeopardize the continued existence of the five species of sea turtles evaluated in the BA. The NRC anticipates that your office will render its biological opinion within the next several months, if you have any questions, please contact Ms. Claudia M. Craig at (301) 415-1053.
Sincerely, Original Signed By:
I Jack W. Roe, Acting Director Division of Reactor Program Management Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation Docket Nos. 50-324,50-325
Enclosure:
Biologica Assessment I
cc w/enci: See next page j D}STRIBUTION:
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. Cocket File PGEB R/F i
JRoe/DMatthews TEssig i CCraig MMalloy JWilson DTrimble FHebdon OGC DOCUMENT NAME: BRUNSBA.WPD OFFICE PGEB PGEB:(A)SC PD1-4 OGC PGEB:(A)BC DRP/n:(A)D NAME QC)sig/sw MMalloy* GEdison* APH* TEssig* JRO 8 . I DATE 3/9/98 2/17/98 2/20/98 2/23/98 2/17/98 3S
/ /98 OFFICIAL RECORD COPY
a-s v sumapaammanca Caroline Power & Ught Company P.o. Box 1o429 southport, NC 28461 o429 ,
JAN 2 61998 j SERIAL: BSEP 97-0537 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
. ATTN: Document ControlDesk l Washington,DC 20555 l
BRUNSWICK STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT, UNIT NOS.1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-325 AND Str324/ LICENSE NOS. DPR-71 AND DPR-62 BIOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF IMPACT TO SEA TURTLES AT CAROLINA POWER &
LIGHT COMPANY'S BRUNSWICI' STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT l
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l j Gentlemen:
Carolina Power & Light (CP&L) Company is submitting the enclosed biological assessment, involving the operation of the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant (BSEP), Unit Nos. I and 2, to support an Endangered Species Act (ESA) Section 7 consultation between the NRC and the National Marine Fisheries Service. While the species of sea tunles involved are listed as
" endangered" or " threatened" under the ESA of 1973 and as amended, the assessment concludes that operation of BSEP represents no jeopardy to any sea tmle species. No regulatory commitments are made in the enclosed asresment.
Please refer any questions regarding this submittal to Mr. Warren J. Dorman, Supervisor -
Licensing, at (910) 457-2068.
Sincerely, D%- ^
Keith R. Jury Manager- Regulatory Affairs ,
Brunswick Steam Electric Plant i GMT
Enclosure:
Biological Assessment ofImpact to Sea Turtles at CP&L's BSEP l
4 c+6emScoIOm.
o' ,
Document Control Desk BSEP 97-0537 / Page 2 cc (with enclosure):
U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Region II ATTN: Mr. Luis A. Reyes, Regional Administrator Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Suite 23T85 Atlanta,GA 30303 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Mr. Charles A. Patterson, NRC Senior Resident Inspector 8470 River Road Southport, NC 28461-8869 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: M.. David C. Trimble, Jr. (Mail Stop OWFN 14H22) 11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852-2738 The Honorable Jo A. Sanford !
Chairman - North Carolina Utilities Commission i P.O. Box 29510 i Raleigh,NC 27626-0510 U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission ATTN: Ms. Claudia M. Craig (Mail Stop OWFN 11D22) !
11555 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852-2738 i
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ENCLOSURE BRUNSWICK STEAM ELECTRIC PLANT, UNIT NOS.1 AND 2 DOCKET NOS. 50-325 AND 50-324/ LICENSE NOS. DPR-71 AND DPR-62 BIOLOGlQAL ASSESSMENT OF IMPACT TO SEA TURTLES AT -
CAROLINA POWER & LIGHT COMPANY'S BRUNSWICK STEAM ELECTR]C PLANT
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Biological Assessment cfImpact to Sea Turtles at Carolina Power & Light Company's Brunswick Steam Electric Plant I
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December 1997 j Prepared by
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JM i
Environmental Services Section l
Carolina Power & Light Company j i
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Table of Contents E.att ListofTables.......................................................................................................................... iii ListofFigures.......................................................................................................................... iv Li st o f Appendi ces .. . .. .... . .. . ... .. ...-.. ... ... ... . .... ... . . . . ...... ..... ............. .. .... . ... .. . ......... . ... ..... . . ... . .. v Summary....................................................................................................................... 1 Introduction........................................................................................................................ 3 BSEP Site Description and Intake System..... ............. ........................................... . . ..... 4 Sea Turtles Along the Nonh Carolina Coast .......... ........................................... ................... 5 S e a Turtl e s at B S E P . .. .. . .. . .. ... ... . .. . ... ... ... ... ..... .. ... . . ..... .... .. ..... .... . . .. ... .......... . .. . . . ..... ... .. ...... .. . .... . .. 6 Sea Turtl e M onitoring at B S EP ............. ... ....... ..... .. .... ............................... .......... ................... 8 8 . ..
S e a Tun i e Pat ro l s .. . ... . . .. .... .. ... . .. .... . . . . . . . . . .. .. . . . . . . .. .. . .. . . . ... . .... . . .. . . .... ... . . . .. ... .. .. .... .. . .. . ....
Live Sea Turtle Sightings....... ......... . .. .. . . . .. .. . ........................................... 8 Measures to R educe S ea Turtle Impact....................... ........................................................ ... 10 Environmental Ste wardship Programs ...................................................................................... I1 i
Asse ssment of Current B SEP Operaiions ..................... .......................................................... 12 ]
Cunalative Impact on Operation of B S EP.........................-.................................................... 14 15... ... .... . .. . . .
O ve ral l A s s e s sm e n t . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . . .. ... . . . .. . ... ... . .. . . . . . . . .. . . .. .. . . .. ..... .. . . . . .. . .. .. . ... .........
Literature Cited ........................................... ................................................................... 16 Appendices.............................................................................................................................. 26 l
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4, C List of Tables Tab 8e East 1 Number of quarterly sea turtle strandings in Nonh Carolina, 1995- 1996 . ..... ...... ....... . 18 2 Number of sea turtle strandings by coastal North Carolina county,1995-1996... ...... 18 3 Number of sea turtle species that stranded in North Carolina, 1995-1996. ... ..... .... I8 f
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List of Figures Figure g i I Location of Brunswick Steam Electric Plant near Southport, North Carolina ............. 19 2 Photograph of fish diversion structure at the mouth of the intake canal at Bmnswick Steam Electric Plant.... ................................................ ............................ 20 3 Schematic drawing of Bruaswick Steam Electric Plant permanent diversion structure in the in'.a) onal.......................................................................................... 21 4 Brunswick Steam t.iectric Plant sea tunle recovery incidental capture by year, 1986-1997................................................................................................. 22 5 Brunswick Steam Electric Plant sea turtles incidental capture by species,1992-1997 23 6 Brunswick Steam Electric Plant sea turtle recovery incidental capture by month and percent of total number of capture by month, 1 9 8 6- 1 997...................................... 24 i
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List of Appendices Anoendix fagt 1 Sea turtle sighting and capturing protocol at Brunswick Steam Electric Plant ............ 25 2 Carolina Power & Light Company-held endangered species permit............................ 28 3 Turtle stranding and salvage network-stranding report ................................................ 29 4 National Marine Fisheries Service / Southeast Fisheries Center cooperative marine turtle tag ging program report ............................................................................ 30 5 " Wildlife in Nonh Carolina" magazine anicle on new signs advising protection of shore birds and sea tunles (May 1993).................................................... 31 6 Carolina Power & Light Company customer bill insert on protection of nesting sea tunles (May/ June 1992) ............................................................................. 32 l
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Summary This repon provides an assessment of the impact of the current operation of Carolina Power & Light Company's two. unit Bmnswick Steam Electric Plant (BSEP) on the species of sea tunles that are federally listed as " endangered" or " threatened" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) of 1973 and as amended. He BSEP began operation in the mid-1970s after being licensed in the early 1970s. BSEP's Final Environmental Statement, which was prepared as part of the licensing process for the facility, was completed in January 1974. He Endangered Species Act was originally enacted on December 28, 1973, and postdated the design, construction, and licensing of the BSEP such that there was no biological assessment or other regulatory review relating to sea tunles at the BSEP. NotwithstandinS, BSEP has initiated actions to observe, remove, and release sea tunles from the plant's intake canal in cooperation .
with the Nonh Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission to mitiga:e impacts on these species.
This repon is submitted to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to support an ESA Section 7 consultation with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the issuance of a biological opinion with an incidental take statement.
Since the plant began operation in 1975, three species of sea tunles have been observed in the power plant's intake canal. They are the loggerhead, green, and Kemp's ridley sea turtles.
]i When sea tunics enter the intake canal, the ajority of them are removed and returned to the ocean alive and unharmed.
This biological assessment demonstrates that reasonable and prudent mitigation measures have been taken at BSEP. It is recommended that the NMFS conclude that BSEP represents no jeopardy to any of the sea tunle species and therefore issue an incidental take statement allowing both lethal and non-lethal " takes" (use as defined in ESA) of sea tunles. While the total number oflethal sea tunle takes ha.; not exceeded four in any year, the variability of the species mix warrants each species having a separate incidental lethal take limit. It is recommended that BSEP's annual incidental lethal take limits be established as; three green sea turtles, three I
Kemp's ridley sea turtles, and four loggerhead sea turtles. These three species have been collected at the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant and represent historical trends oflethal takes in the plant's intake canal over the past six years. It is funher recommended that three leatherback sea turtles and three hav.ksbill sea turtles be established as an additional component of BSEP's 1 I 9
lethal take. Although these latter two species of sea tunles have never been collected at BSEP, they a*e known to visit along the Nonh Carolina coast. The basis for this funher recommendation relates to the success to date of release of those turtle species that have historically entered the intake canal. Because we have been successful with the Kemp's ridleys, greens, and loggerheads, we would expect similar results with leatherbacks and hawksbills.
CP&L is recommending that no limit be established for non-lethal takes of sea tunles as a result of this biological assessment. The programs in place to discover, remove, and return sea tunles have been demonstrated to be effective and successful. >
The populations of sea tunles historically encountered at BSEP or which may be encountered in the future will not be detrimentally affected by the operation of the facility, nor is therejeopardy to the continued existence of the species. The monalities of turtles experienced at BSEP are conservc::ve and the nunioers are minor compared to monalities from other causes I such as natural illnesses, incidental net entanglement in fishing and shrimping gear and ingestion ofdebris.
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l Introduction The United States Endangered Species Act (ESA or Act) of 1973 (PL93-205) is designed .
to conserve endangered and threatened species of fish, wildlife, and plants. Section 7 of the Act I provides for cooperation amo'ng federal agencies to ensure that actions by an agency do not, jeopardize the continued existence of any endangered or threatened species or result in destmetion or adverse modification of the habitat of the species under consideration. Such cooperation allows for what is referred to as a formal consultation. In the case of the review of !
sea turtle occurrences near the Brunswick Steam Electric Plant (BSEP), consultation involves the l Unhed States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) (the licensing federal agency for BSEP) and the United States National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), which hasjurisdiction over sea tunles in waters of the United States. The consultation would not involve the United States Fish
- and Wildlife Sersice, which hasjurisdiction over sea tunles only when they venture onto land for !
nesting purposes and during egg incubation. The impact at BSEP, discussed below, does not !
involve nesting sea tunles.
The purpose of this biological assessment is to determine the impact, if any, of the l operation of BSEP on sea tunles that are protected under the ESA of 1973 and as amended. This assessment was prepared to suppon a consultation between the NRC and the NMFS in accordance with Section 7 of the ESA.
I BSEP is located in Brunswick County, Nonh Carolina, near Southpon. on the Cape Fear River estuary (Figure 1). BSEP's initial licensing, which occurred during the mid-1970s, did not ;
include a review of sea tunle impacts. Notwithstanding, BSEP initiated a monitoring program in 4 1976, less than a year after the first of the two units began commercisl operation. In 1981, upon renewal of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit, various plant modifications were initiated including the installation in November 1982 of a permanent diversion structure across the mouth of the plant intake canal to minimize large fish and shellfish from entering the intake canal. ;
Initially, in the first several years of operation of the BSEP in the 1970s, there were few occurrences of sea tunles entering the plant's intake canal. As the sea tunle populations in the area increased, incidences of tunles in the plant's intake area also increased. To date, three species of sea tunles have been collected in the intake canal at BSEP since it began operation.
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I These are the loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia mydas). and Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempli). The United States Fish and Wildlife Ser ice (USFWS) has listed Kemp's ridley as " endangered" and the loggerhead and the green sea turtles as a " threatened" species
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under the ESA. Neither the leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) nor the hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) turtles, which are also protected under the ESA and are listed as
" endangered," has ever been captured at BSEP.
i BSEP Site Description and Intake System BSEP is comprised of two units: Unit No.2 (approximately 821 MWe net) began commercial operation in 1975 and Unit No.1 (approximately 821 MWe net) began commercial operation in 1977. BSEP operates in a once-through cooling mode by withdrawing water from the Cape Fear River through a three-mile long intake canal. It is this canal, secluded from the i 1
main river channel and closed to net fishing by fishermen, that sea turtles occasionally enter.
The location of water withdrawal from the river into the intake is about six miles north )
(upstream) of the mouth of the Cape Fear River. The intake canal is approximately 300 feet wide and 18 feet deep. After passing through the plant's condensers, the water travels through a six-mile-long discharge canal and is then pumped 2,000 feet offshore through subaqueous pipes into the Atlantic Ocean at a depth of approximately 18 feet. The two units operate in.iependently of each other but share a common intake and discharge canal. Approximately 1.5 billion gallons of water pass through the plant per day during normal dual-unit operations. At each of the two units, trash racks and traveling screens collect and remove debris and aquatic organisms prior to the water's entering the plant's cooling water system.
Carolina Power & Light Company was issued a permit to discharge cooling water from BSEP in 1974, under the Clean Water Act's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System program, and as a condition of the permit, biological monitoring was initiated in 1976 to proside continuous assessment of power plant impact on marine and estuarine organisms in the Cape Fear Estuary. The NPDES permit was re-issued in 1981 and CP&L constructed a permanent diversion structure at the mouth of the intake canal in November 1982 (an earlier experimental temporary structure had been installed and evaluated in 1979) to icluce the number oflarge fish and shellfish entering the intake canal. This structure (Figure 2) effectively reduces overall
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impingement of the larger shellfish and larger fish on the plant's trash racks and traveling screens. The diversion system is V-shaped to increase screen area and to reduce approach-flow velocity, which reduces the impact to marine organisms. It consists of 37 panels of screens made ;
of a copper-nickel alloy with a mesh size of 3/8 x 5/8 inches. The intake canal at the diversion structure varies from a depth of approximately 18 feet at its center (apex) to about four feet at the end bays on either side. Screen panels are designed to release from their frames under high-debris loads to prevent overall damage to the diversion system. Each " screen release" creates an j opening of approximately 2 x 4 to 3 x 4 feet--or less than one percent of tie diversion structure (Figure 3). The potential exists solely during these screen-release periods for turtles to enter the canal. CP&L provides a maintenance crew for servicing and repairing the diversion structure ,
and gives priority to repairs.
Monitoring studies have shown that the installation of the diversion structure has resulted )
in a demonstrated high degree of effectiveness in reducing larger fish and shellfish from entering the canal. Sea tunle movement into the intake canal is also blocked except when screens release because of debris loading. extreme tides, or unusual weather conditions Sea Turtles Along the North Carolina Coast The logge2 head is the most conuron :a turtle in coastal waters of the United States.
Along Nonh Carolina waters, the loggerhead is an annual nester, the green is an occasional nester, and the Kemp's ridley nests only rarely along North Carolina beaches. Most egg clutches of the three species consist of about 110 eggs. The loggerhead and the green are circumglobalin distribution and are mainly found in the tropical to mid latitudes. The Kemp's ridley is primarily a species of the Gulf of Mexico, nesting at a single location near Rancho Nuevo, Mexico, but juveniles are found off the Atlantic seaboard as far nonh as the state of New York. In terms of overall size of the adults, the loggerhead and green are the largest, while the Kemp's ridley is the smallest of the three. Neither the leatherback' (Dermochelys coriacea) nor the hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) tunles, also protected under the ESA, has ever been captured at BSEP.
They are not as common along Nonh Carolina's coasts and sounds.
Sea tunle hatchlings live in the open sea (pelagic) and return asjuveniles and subadults to j the near-shore areas where they feed. Two of the three species that have been obsened at BSEP 5
(the loggerhead and the Kemp's ridley) are primarily camivorous in their feeding habits. In the inshore areas, estuaries, and shallows they tend to feed on crustaceans and mollusks and other invenebrates including jellyfish. The adult green sea tunle is herbivorous, feeding primarily on algae, and sea grasses. Information on near shore movement of sea tunles around electric generating power stations along the east coast of the United States is further detailed by Florida Power & Light Company (1995) and by General Public Utilities Nuclear Inc. (1994), whose assessments have been forwarded to the NRC. ,
Sea turtles migrate nonhward from south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, in the spring of the year and move southward in the autumn. There are relatively few sightings during the winter months along the inshore waters of Nonh Carolina. It is not likely that sea turtles over-winter by burying themselves in the bottom in inshore waters of Nonh Carolina because the water temperature:, are too cold. Various studies have shown that the post-pelagic juvenile greens and loggerheads frequently utilize Atlantic coas; estuaries for feeding (Epperly, et al.
1995).
During the period between 1980 and 1994, the Nonh Carolina statewide sea turtle strandings (i.e., the number of dead or debilitated tunles found on coastal beaches and sounds) averaged 196 tunles annually (North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission 1997). In 1995, the cetual reported strandings increased to 347 tunles and in 1996 the number was 502, which was higher than any strandings reponed in the previous 15 years (Tables 1,2, and 3). These increased strandings may have resulted from population increases as a result of successful conservation effons and more general public awareness and increased " spotters" who repon strandings.
Sea Turtles at BSEP l
Data on the occurrence of sea tunles at BSEP have been reported to the North Carolina
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Sea Turtle Coordinator (NCSTC) of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission !
(NCWRC). Since 1986 there have been 136 sea tunles incidentally collected and removed from 1
the BSEP intake canal (Figure 4). Of this total,110 turtles were released alive while 26 were !
removed dead. Of those tunles collected on the plant trash racks, drowning appears to be the cause of death. ;
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E ace 1992, of the total sea tunles collected live. the majority were loggerheads (64); nine were green .artles, and eight were Kemp's ridley. Of those that were removed dead since 1992, f .e were loggerheads, two were greens, and four were Kemp's ridleys (Figure 5).
" Seasonality" is the monthly or seasonal pattern of distribution or occurrence of sea tunles at a particular location. At BSEP, the seasonality of sea turtles is primarily late April through August based on data from the last 11 years. A few tunle " takes" have occurred as late as November and December (Figure 6). However, the peak season is May through July when takes significantly increase over all the other months combined. This observation of seasonality is generally consistent with Epperly, et al. (1995) who reported two peaks: one in April-June for
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the entire coast of Nonh Carolina, and the other during October-December for waters on the nonhem coast ofNonh Carolina.
The diversion structure excludes sea tunles from the plant intake canal, except during those times when there are screen releases. Typically, turtles that move into the canal are classified as incidental takes and are thus deemed to have been associated with plant operations.
A few tunles that enter the intake canal are considered as non-incidental takes (i.e., they floated into the intake canal dead or dying, ofinjuries or illnesses that occurred prior to encountering the canal). This determination ofincidental versus non incidental is made by the NCSTC (Boettcher 1997). Since 1992, the number of non incidental takes has usually been 0 to 2 turtles per year. 4 However, in 1996, there were 10 non-incidental lethal takes.
Most turtles taken at BSEP are immature (juvenile) turtles based on their carapace length as confirmed by the NCSTC. The young tunles move into the Cape Fear estuary, including the area near the intake canal, for feeding and foraging. It has been confirmes that immature tunles use shallow waters for foraging areas (Epperly, et al.1995), particularly during the months of April through June. During the last 11 years only one of the incidentally taken turtles (loggerheads) has been an adult of reproductive age. None were adult green or Kemp's ridley )
turtles.
No tunles are known to nest in the area of BSEP intake canal because the habitat is unsuitable for nening and greater than 99% of those tunles collected are foraging, non-reproducingjuveniles.
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4 Sea Turtle Monitoring at BSEP CP&L has an aggressive program in place to determine the presence of sea tunles in the plant's intake canal. There are procedures utilized to identify the presence of sea turtles at the !
diversion structure, in the intake canal, and on the plant's trash racks. The protocol, modified and adapted to respond to increasing numbers of turtles in the intake canal, describes the actions i taken by CP&L (Appendix 1).
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Sea Turtle Patrols CP&L generally inspects the plant's intake trash racks as conditions warrant on a daily basis as near low tide as possible during the period from late April through August unless inclement weather or other conditions prevent it. This period coincides with historical higher-than average occurrences of sea turtles in the area. The inspection consists of visual observations of the entire length of the intake canal from the diversion structure to the plant's intake trash racks.
Mandated as pan of this , stocol.to discover sea tunles is visual examination of each I
trash rack, an adequate observation (one-half-hour to one-hour) of the plant's intake to note any surfacing sea tunles, and adequate observations (one-half-hour to one hour) at the diversion structure. In addition, personnel inspect the diversion structure each spring to ensure its integrity. The inspection includes a below-the-water-level checx by divers as pan of the overall preventive maintenance program.
Further, those crews that maintain the diversion structure on a year-round basis are also instructed to report any observations of dead or live tunles inside thei canal, on the diversion structure itself, or outside the stmeture on the river side. Finally, plant security personnel who patrol the plant intaxe area year-round are instructed to report any sightings of turtles in the canal.
Live Sea Turtle Sichtines CP&L currently has an environmental staffincluding a marine biologist who coordinates the company's turtle monitoring, capture, and release program. If sea turtle repons or sightings are received by CP&L employees or contractors, the information is reponed to an individual on s
the plant's environmental staff who then goes to the area of the sighting and observes for a
- minimum of one hour. When a sighting is confirmed, attempts are made to capture the tunle using nets of different lengths and mesh sizes depending on the location and the size of the tunle.
A 200-foot long net is used for capture near the plant intake and a 300 foot long net may be used near the diversion structure. Two net sizes are used: a four-inch mesh for capturing small tunles and an eight-inch mesh for larger tunles.
CP&L has a permit, renewed annually, from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission that allows the temporary possession, tagging, and release oflive sea tunles, and the transport and burial of dead ones (Appendix 2). Currently, Passive Injectable Transponder (PIT) electronic scanning tap are placed on the body of a live sea tunle in a predetennined location (the front left flipper). Iconel (clip-on) identification tags are placed on each of the two rear flippers. Tunles weighing less than eight pounds are not generally tagged with Iconel tags.
Turtle stranding reports with the tag numbers are filed by CP&L with the NCSTC using the Sea Tunie Stranding and Salvage Network Stranding Repon Form (Appendix 3). This tagging information is also sent via the NCSTC to the NMFS's Miami Laboratory, which coordinates the overall marine turtle tagging program (Appendix 4). Upon advice from the NCSTC, injured or stressing turtles are taken to a local veterinarian for treatment prior to release. Severely injured tunles are transported to the NCSTC. Live tunles are photographed and released in the surf at the Yaupon Beach area of Oak Island Morth Carolina. The release point is located approximately six miles from the BSEP Since 1992, there have been 76 sea tunles tagged by CP&L personnel at the plant and released. Turtles transported to the sea turtle coordinator are not tagged by CP&L. The residence time of sea tunles in the intake canal before they are captured and removed varies from a few hours to several days depending on the activity level of q the tunle.
Tunles that are found dead in the intake canal or on the trash racks are removed, photographed, and a necropsy performed on them (Wolke and George 1981). As advised by the NCSTC, dead sea tunles are buried on the BSEP site. The coordinator is notified prior to burial and a stranding repon is also filed. The left front flipper is removed from the dead tunles as part of a program whose purpose is to provide age detennination, and DNA analysis for population genetics studies of the turtles. This flipper program is a volunteer program coordinated by the 9
NCSTC (NCWRC 1995). - BSEP is a repository for sea turtle flippers collected by volunteers in Brunswick County, N.C.-
Measures to Reduce Sea Turtlffmpact As sea turtle populations have increased along the North Carolina coast and more turtles have entered the plant's intake canal, CP&L has adapted its maintenance programs and patrols to respond to this increase. If debris or other conditions result in higher-than-normal ser1.n releases on the permanent diversion structure, personnel and other resources are dispatch.ed to respond to these conditions.
The primary means to prevent takes of sea turtles at BSEP is the diversion structure at the mouth of the intaks canal. The screens on ths iiversion structure are generally maintained daily during periods of high-debris loading associated with seasonal vegetation regrowth and high raios (usv. ally May through September), or as conditions warrant. The company has dedicated two boats (one 32-feet long and one 18-feet long) with a three-to-four-person crew to maintain the structure. During the inspections, screens are generally pulled from the water and washed.
Any damaged screens are repaired. Removable blocker panels are dropped into place in the opening to prevent sea turtles from entering the intake canal during the maintenance. Repairs to a panel of screens usually take 30 minutes to two hours. Generally the entire diversion structure is cleaned each day during periods of high debris loads unless inclement weather or other conditions prevent it. When the maintenance crew identifies screens that are worn but not damaged, they, too, are removed and replaced.
During the " turtle season" (primarily late April through August), environmental personnel make daily patrols of the intake canal unless inclement weather or other conditions prevent it. Patrols are made from the plant intake trash racks to the diversion structure. Nets, crews, and a boat are dedicated to the effort so that live captures can be made as quickly and efficiently as possible. Plant security personnel who patrol the intake area are instructed to be on the lookout for turtles in the canal. Plant environmental personnel are on call 24 hours2.777778e-4 days <br />0.00667 hours <br />3.968254e-5 weeks <br />9.132e-6 months <br /> per day to respond to tunle sightings.
10
. i
Environmental Stewardship Programs CP&L has voluntarily taken several initiatives to promote awareness of sea tunles along our beaches. Environmental stewardship has been an important component of CP&L's activities-for a number of years, including projects for education about and protection of sea turtles. In 1993-1994, CP&L provided funding to the Nonh Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's -
Non-Game Program to place signs at all coastal public beach and boating access areas in CP&L's service area from the South Carolina-Nonh Carolina state line northward to Cedar
' Island in Carteret County. The signs, entitled " Help Our Shore Birds and Sea Tunles," advised the public to be aware of beach-nesting wildlife (tunles, sea birds, and shore birds), to stay out of closed areas, not to disturb nests or nest markers, and to keep pets on leashes. In addition, Wildlife in North Carolina (May 1993), a monthly publication issued by the Nonh Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, featured an article on the installation of the signs relating to nesting shore birds and sea tunles and noted CP&L's panicipation in the program (Appendix 5).
In 1992, the company placed a notice in its customer bill insens about nesting sea tunles and requested the public, during the nesting and hatching season, to shield, redirect or tum off unnecessary lights along the beach that might cause disorientation of egg-laying females and later of the hatchling tunles. This was done under the auspicts of the "Take Pride in America" campaign in conjunction with the Raleigh Field Office of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Maynune 1992 CP&L " Energy Notes") (Appendix 6). CP&L plans another educational Nonh Carolina and South Carolina customer bill insen in the spring of 1998 regarding protection of nesting sea tunles and shore birds along our coastal areas. The public will be asked to avoid crowding or harassing tunles or birds that are on beaches and to keep clear of all nests. In 1998, CP&L is also funding the placement of nesting area signs through a program with the NCSTC.
The Brunswick Visitors Center at Southport, N.C., consists of various educational displays. One display, installed in 1995, describes protection of tunles in general as endangered species and includes information on protection of sea tunles at the BSEP plant intake area; and a section of a diversion structure screen panel. The attendance from the public at the center is about 10,000 visitors per year. Attendees include school and college groups, civic organizations, as well as individuals and seasonal tourists.
II
Assessment of Current BSEP Operations The permanent diversion structure installed in the fall of 1982 has played a significant role in reducing potential sea tunle passage into the plant intake canal. Generally, sea tunles are not " drawn" into the intake area because they have the ability to swim faster than the flow at the diversion structure unless they are at the screen when there is a screen release. Flow in the canal itself is approximately 0.6 feet /sec at normal design depth, which is well within the swimming ability of the turtle to freely move around in the canal.
The residence time of sea tunles in the intake canal varies from a few hours to several days with the longer time frequently associated with the activity of the tunle itself and the degree of difficulty in capturing it. One of the indirect efTects of those tunles that temporarily reside in the canal before removal is limited disruption of the normal migrations up and down the Atlantic coast. Howev:r, because the great majority are subadults or juveniles. their breeding or nesting activities are not impaired during their temporary residence in the canal. Because the canal is closed to net fishing, there is no opponunity for the tunles to become entrapped in fishermen's nets and there is no evidence that turtles are preyed upon while in the canal. A few tunles that are collected and removed have been found with fish hooks in their mouths and flippers. The CP&L tunle capture and removal program has not resulted in any incidences where sea tunles were drowned or injured during the netting and capture attempts. There has been no evidence that turtles sustain scrapes or injuries during the netting and capturing because nylon twine nets are used, which are not abrasive to the tunles. When turtles are captured and detained for measurement and tagging, every attempt is made to limit the holding and handling time to minimize stress to the animal. The estimated " holding" time from capture (removal from the canal) to release at Yaupon Beach on Oak Island is generally less than an hour-unless the tunle is injured, in which case the NCSTC is contacted for advice and possible attention by a veterinarian, or tumed over to the NCSTC for attention. Under unusual circumstances, a turtle may be held overnight at the BSEP biology lab before release, primarily if collected late at night or if weather conditions don't favor a timely and safe release. j Based on the observations of tunles that are removed live from the canal, they are in good condition as judged by overall appearance and activity. CP&L's on-site environmental ;
. staff oversees and coordinates the tunle monitoring, capture, tagging, and release program at 12
i i
BSEP. The current sea tunle monitoring program at BSEP demonstrates a high success rate of
' live tunle removal from the canal.
CP&L takes extra steps to have a veterinarian ensure that any injuries are identified and treated before the turtles are retumed to the ocean. Examinations performed on all injured and dead sea tunles taken at BSEP indicate injuries from boat collision, boat motors and propellers, and possibly sharks. There may also be human-induced mortalities, primarily from net entanglement (perhaps from fishennen or shrimp trawling in the estuary near the BSEP). The National Research Council estimated that between 5,000 to 50,000 tunles per year are killed by the shrimping industry in United States waters (National Research Council 1990). This report also noted that power plant intake systems represent a minor source of turtle mortality.
The period ofincreased sea tunle occurrences at BSEP of the past two years coincides l
with increased public awareness and conservation effons and presumably overall higher nesting success for tunles. There has been greater statewide awareness regarding reporting of sightings of sea tunles. It is possible that with increased nesting success resulting from public education )
i and conservation effons, there may be occurrences similar to that of the past two, higher-than- l i
normal years. This is likely to be true when successful hatchlings retum as juveniles. and subadults from their pelagic foraging offshore. The relationship oflarge tropical stonns and
)
hurricanes along the Nonh Carolina coast during the past two years to increased sea tuele l strandings is unknown.
In this evaluation of potential impact to tunles, BSEP operations other than the intake ,
canal have been considered. There are no known impacts to sea tunles from o'her plant !
operations: chlorination system, thermal discharge, or lights. The location and /.esign of the discharge syste#i and its six-mile canal isolate it from the intake area where tunles may be found.
The plant's chlorination system is u:ed to reduce fouling from marine organisms on plant :
equipment such as condenser tubes and heat exchangers. The chlorir.e concentration in the discharge waters meets Nonh Carolina water quality standards of 0 mg/1.
Funher, there are no lights that might attract or disorient adult or hatchling sea turtles j toward the plant diversion structure. Funher, given that the area around the structure is not suitable beach or nesting habitat, no additional impacts are known. While potential nesting sites exist on the beach in the vicinity of the discharge point in the ocean, there are no known impacts to sea tunles.
13 O
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I Cumulative Impact on Operation of BSEP During the period of 1986-1997, there were 26 tunles that died and they were believed to 1 be causally related to plant operations since they were collected and removed from the BSEP's trash racks. However,110 tunles have been successfully removed from the plant's intake canal I and released alive and unharmed.
Positive results from public education and conservation effons could increase .edings along the Nonh Carolina coast and increase takes at BSEP. Nevenheless, the populations as a whole of the species of sea turtles historically encountered or apt to be encountered in the future I at the BSEP will not be detrimentally affected by the continued operation of the facility.
An annual incidental lethal take of three each is proposed for BSEP for the green and Kemp's ridley sea turtles and four for the loggerhead. The basis for these recommended allowed lethal takes of the three species is the historical record ofincidental lethal captures over the last six years as indicated in Figure 5. The data show that despite the higher incidences in the past l three years oflive incidental takes in the plant's intake canal, there has not been a similar rise in l lethal takes, suggesting that the turtle capture and return program in place by CP&L is effective.
It is also recommended that three lethal takes each be allowed annually for the leatherback and the hawksbill tunles. While never having been collected at BSEP, thew two species are known to be along Nonh Carolina coasts and may move into the plant's intake canal in the futun:.
CP&L is recommending that no limit for non-lethal takes of sea turtles be established as a result of this biological assessment. The programs in place to discover, remove, and return sea turtles are effective and successful, even during the recent periods ofincreased numbers of sea tunlesin the plant's intake canal.
The current monitoring and patrolling, capture and tagging, and release activities in i
coordination with the NCSTC are adequate to respond to tunles that enter the canal in the future.
No additional mitigation is warranted or necessary to protect the tunle species.
l 14
o . !
o
- Overall Assessment The current diversion structure intake design for the BSEP significantly minimizes impact on the sea turtles that travel near the plant intake canal. The plant's diversion structure, initially installed to prevent movement oflarge fish and la:ge shellfish into the canal, is equally effective in significantly reducing the numbers and kinds of most large organisms that enter the canal, including sea turtles. Coupled with CP&L's aggressive monitoring and patrol program, any tunles that enter the canal have a good chance of being successfully removed and returned to the ocean away from the plant. The company's tunle stewardship programs relating to public education complement efforts by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission to provide increased awareness regarding nesting and hatchling tunles along our coastal areas.
CP&L continue to evaluate enhancements and new processes that may improve the effectiveness of our ability to keep turtles out of the intake canal. One such method being investigated is blocker panels. At the end of July 1997, CP&L installed experimental fixed six-inch-mesh blocker panels on the river side of the intake canal's diversion structure to minimize entry of turtles into the canal. These blocker panels are especially useful during routine maintenance and for replacement of wom or damaged diversion structure screens, including times when screens release. Although unproven for long duration, based on the success of the experimental tunle-blocker panels in the summer of 1997, CP&L is continuing to evaluate long-term use of the blocker panels, including other designs and types of materials.
CP&L believes that a biological opinion from the National Marine Fisheries Service with an incidental take statement N appropriate and that the operation of the BSEP is not a significant risk to the three species of sea tunles that occasionally enter the plant's intake canal. Operation with an allowed annual incidental lethal take for the five sea tunle species poses no significant threat to the sea turtle populations and is unlikely to jeopardize the continued existence of any of the five species. The mortalities of tunles experienced at the BSEP are conservative and the numbers are minor compared to mortalities from other causes such as natural illnesses, incidental net entanglement in fishing and shrimping gear, and ingestion of debris.
15 9
Literature Cited Boettcher, Ruth.1997. Nonh Carolina Sea Tunle Coor'dinator, P. O. Box 178, Marshallberg, N.C. 28553. Personal communications.
Carolina Power & Light Company.1984. Brunswick Steam Electric Plant annual biological monitoring repon,1983. Carolina Power & Light Company, New Hill, N.C.
Carolina Power & Light Company.1995. Brunswick Steam Electric Plant annual biological monitoring repon,1994. Carolina Power & Light Company, New Hill, N.C.
Carolina Power & Light Company.1996. Brunswick Steam Electric Plant annual biological monitoring report,1995. Carolina Power & Light Company, New Hill, N.C.
Epperly, S. P., J. Braun, and A. Veishtow.1995. Sea tunles in Nonh Carolina waters.
Conservation Biology 9(2): 384-394.
Florida Power & Light Company.1995. Assessment of the impacts of the St. Lucie Nuclear Generating Plant on sea tunle species found in the nearshore waters of Florida.
GPU Nuclear Corporation.1994. Assessment of the impacts of the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station on Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) and loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles.
National Research Council.1990. Decline of the sea tunle: causes and prevention. National Academy Press. Washington, D. C.
Nonh Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.1995. Handbook for sea tunle volunteers in North Carolina. Raleigh,N.C.
16 s 1
f l
i North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.1997. Report to the Non-Game Wildlife Advisory Committee. February 29,1997, Raleigh, N.C.
Wolke, R. E. And A. George.1981. Sea turtle necropsy manual. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFC-24, l Kingston, R. I.
1 i
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1 17
. I
Table 1. Number (and percent in parentheses) of quarterly sea turtle strandings in North Carolina,1995-1996.
1995 1996 Quarter Number of Strandings Number of Strandiiigs l First 16 (4) 54 (11)
Second 187 (54) 231 (46)
Third 86 (25) 124 (25)
Fourth 58 (17) 93 (18) '
Total 347 (100) 502 (100) >
Table 2. Number (and percent in parentheses) of sea turtle strandings by coastal North Carolina county,1995-1996.
1995 1996 ;
County Number of Strandings Number of Strandings j Beaufort 1 (0) 1 (0)
Brunswick 51 (15) 86 (17)
Carteret 58 (17) 187 (37)
Craven 1 (0) 1 (0)
Currituck 32 (9) 15 (3.5)
Dare 152 (44) 162 (32)
Hyde 14 (4) 19 (4)
New Hanover 10 (3) 9 (2)
Onslow 20 (6) 15 (3.5)
Pamlico 1 (0) 0 (0) ;
Pender 7 (2) 7 (1)
Total 347 (100) 502 (100) l Table 3. Number (and percent in parentheses) of sea turtle species that stranded in North Carolina,1995-1996.
1995 1996 Species Number of Strandings Number of Strandings Loggerhead 280 (81) 377 (75)
Green 24 (7) 61 (12)
Leatherback 18 (5) 12 (2)
Kemp's ridley 14 (4) 39 (8)
Unknown 11 (3) 13 (3)
Total 347 (100) 502 (100)
Source: North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commision (N.C. Sea Turtle Coordinator),1997.
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structure in the intake canal.
21
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.:1 Figure 4. Brunswick Steam Electric Plant sea turtle recovery incidental capture (alive and dead) by year,1986-1997.
22
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23
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Appendix 1. Current Sea turtle sighting and capturing protocol at Brunswick Steam Electric Plant.
Sea Turtle Patrols As conditions warrant:
Inspect the intake tra::h racks generally daily during turtle season (late April through August) unless inclement weather or other conditions prevent it. Conduct inspections at or near low tide.
Inspections of the trash racks should include close-up inspection of each rack and 30 to 60 minutes in the area to observe for sea turtle surfacing.
Observe the entire length of the canal while traveling between plant intake tereens and the diversion structure.
Observe the divervon structure area for 30 to 60 minutes.
Live Sea Tunle Sichtines If a live sea tunle is observed by other employees, question them about:
the species, the approximate size, and the exact location.
If a live sighting is reported, observe the area for one hour.
If a live turtle is observed, set the turtle capture net.
Ensure that you have the Endangered Species Permit in your possession before setting the net.
Use the 200 foot long net if the turtle is observed near the plant intake structure.
Net should be securely tied to the fence post directly across the canal from the intake !
structure.
Deploy the net toward the intake structure until the net is completely set. l The net may be left unattended for only a few minutes at a time. ;
i If a tunle becomes tangled in the net, remove it immediately.
Use the 300 foot long net if the turtle is observed near the diversion structure.
Net should be securely tied to a ladder or cleat on the diversion structure near the area 25
T r .
where the tunle was last observed.
Deploy the net until it is completely set.
Observe the net in the water flow and make adjustments as needed.
The net may be left urmttended for only a few minutes at a timt.
If a tunle becomes tangled in the net, remove it immediately.
Sea Turtle Tannine l
Ensure that you have the Endangered Species Permit in your possession.
All live sea turtles should be tagged except those Eudfleight pounds. I Place a PIT tag just anterior of the second scale from the shoulder on the left front flipper.
j Ensure the PIT tag is operational by scanning the tag.
Place an Iconel clip-on tag on each rear flipper on sea turtles that weigh arcater than 8 peund,s.
Ensure that the Iconel tag is locked into place. i l
Strandinc and Taccine Reoorts Complete s. sea tunle stranding report for each tunle captured.
Complete a sea turtle tagging repon for each tagged tunle.
Give repons to CP&L sea tunle coordinator.
Sea Turtle Release i i
l Ensure that you have the Endangered Species Permit in your possession. !
Photograph the turtle. l Transpon sea tunle to Yaupon Beach and release it in the surf.
i l
l l
26 i
e
e .
4 Dead Sea Tunles Ensure that you have the Endangered Species Permit in your possession.
~
Remove sea tunle from canal.
Complete the Sea Tunle Stranding Repon.
Call Ruth Boettcher, the N.C. Sea Tunie Coordinator at (919) 729-1359.
Photograph the tunle.
Bury the tunle on site near the Land Clearing Inen Debris (LCID) landfill.
Give repon to CP&L sea tunle coordinator.
6 k
27
.c .
e Appendix 2. Carolina Power & Light Company-held endangered species permit.
NORTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMMISSION 512 North Salisbury St.
Raleigh, NC 27604-1188 ENDANGERED SPECIES PERMIT Date Issued: 1/15/97 l Expiration Date: 12/31/97 l Permit No.: 97ST16 issued t0: SPECIES: Loggerhead (Caretta carcita),
George Baird Green (Che/on/a mydas), Kemp's Environmental Coordinator Rid!ey (Lepidochelys kempii),
CP&L, Brunswick Nuclear Power Plant Leatherback (Dermochelys PO Box 10429 coriacea), Hawksbill Southport, NC 2846I (Eretmochelysimbricata). Sea Tunles.
The abos e named person and those under his(hcr) authority is(are) hereby authorized to conduct the following activities viith the specified Federally-listed endangered or threatened species as a designated agent of the Nonh Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission:
AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES Possession and Disposition of Stranded Sea Turtles - this permit authorizes the possession and transponation ofinjured or sick stranded sea turtles for the purpose ofrehabilitation and/or release and the possession and transponation of dead stranded sea tonles for the purposes of disposition.
- a. The Nonh Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission's den Tunie Stranding Coordinator, Ruth Boettcher (919-729-1359), or Coastal Nongarse Project Leader, David H. Allen (919-224-1288), must be contacted viithin twenty four 'nours creach stranding event,
- b. A Sea Tunie Stranding Repon form must be completed and submitted to the Nonh Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission at the time of each stranding occurrence.
Tagging of Live Sea Turtles Entrained in th a Brunswick Nuclear Power Plancs Intake {
Canal- this permit authorizes the tagging oflive sea tunles entrained in the intake canal prior to their release.
David H. Allen k
Coastal Nongame Project Leader (919) 224-1288 cc: Division ofWildlife Enforcement Nongame Section Manager l
28
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a .
Appendix 3. Turtle stranding and salvage network-stranding report.
SEA TURTLE STRANDING AND SALVAGE NETWORK - STRANDING REPORT PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY AND Fila IN ALL APPLICABLE SLANK$. Use codes below. Moosurements mey be Wroightline (celiper) end/or ever the turve (tope measure). Meesvre leng* from the conter of the avchel ne,ich se the tip of *e mest poseerior merginel. Meesure w;Joh et Ae widest peint of corspece. CIRCLE THE UNITS USED. 5ee diegrom below. Pieese give e specific lacetion descrip6en. INCLUDE LAflTUDE AND LONOITUDE.
Observer's Pv5 Nome Soonding Dese
,-- === or Address / Affiliesien Aree Code / Phone Number Species Turtle Number ty Dey Reliebilierof LD.:(CRCLE) Uneves Prebeble Pensive Species Verified bySete Caerdenseer? YesD nod Sea: (CmCLE) Femele Mole unde =reuned New was een determined?
5.see County Leconen (be specific end laclude sleeest town) .,_
tomade longi *vde e
Condinen of Turvie (ves codes) Finel Disposinen of Turtle (ves codes)
Tog Number (s)(include tog return oddress and dispondon of tog)
Romer6 (nese if turtle was involved wie ter er oil, pee r er debris entenglement, wovnels or mutiletions, propeller domego, pepillemes, episoe, etc.) continue en boch if necessory MEASUttMENTS: CiaCLE UNIT $ gpgggg:
CC = LeggeAsod Sereight lenge em/in CM = Oreen DC h Leetherbeck 5ereight Wdeh cm/in El e NowksblN w LK = Kemp's ridley UN
- U"Id'"'iIi*d Cveved LengA cm/3a Neesh V
/
Curved WdA cm/in CONDfflON OF TURTLE:
O e Alive 1 e Fresh deed 2 = 4derotely decomposed 3 = Severely decomposed 4 a 0,;ed ce,cces
" l Mark wovnds. 5 = Skeleton, bones only obnormelines, end nog leceneas FINAL DISPO$fDON OF fueTLE:
1 = Pointed,leit en beech 2 e seried: on beech / off beech 3 = Solvoged specimen: et / part 4 s Polied up on beech er done
%,;,, 5 = Unpoinwd,left en beech
& = Eve, released g,,;,,t y;p 7 m Al;,e, selon se e holding facildy 29
0 Appendix 4. National Marine Fisheries Service / Southeast Fisheries Center cooperative marine turtle tagging program report.
NMFS/SEFC COOPERATIVE MARINE TURTLE TAGGING PROGRAM TAGGING DATA (REEABILITATED, NETTED, OR CTEER RELEASE)
..g Number (s) Species (list all tag f's and letter Date Released Predx) 407751306F EHHH2BI Describe release location (be specific - include 6 and lat/long if available):
Describe original stranding or capture location AND stranding or capture date (where did this turtle come from?):
Describe capture method and/or type of gear in use when turtle was caught (if applicable): )
l carapace '.ength straight line em- in Carapace width straight line en in carapace length over curve en in carapace width over curve en in Weight kg lbs l
Additional remarks or data (use back if necessary) organization Tagging (include area code / phone number):
M*'l completed forms to: NMTS - Miami Lab Cooperative Marine Turtle Tagging Program 75 Virginia Beach Drive Miami, FL 33149 ,
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Appendix 5. " Wildlife in North Carolina" magazine article on new signs advising protection of shore birds and sea turtles.
CPBLDonates FundsforSigns Coastal Wildlife Nesting Areas Posted with Warnings read with careifyou see Carolina Power & Light Com.
Tsignsdisplayinga turtle pany andprovided $8,000in funding a tern postedin coastalareas. for the signs,postsand mounting HelpOur The signsare beingpostedon barrierislands from the Cedar hardware."We're pleased to sup-port this project toheighten j
Island area to the South Carolina public awarenessof the plight of gg g ,
line and are meant toalert visitors beach nestingwildlifeinareasof i to the presence of wildlife nests on the beach.
high human development,"said Rick Yates, manager of bioh,gical My' h%;.s NY i-d 4
_ _ . .- I "The purpose of these signsis assessment for CP&L
{
toinform the beach going public about the need to prevent dis-Specialcare should always be MDgO'@% !
taken when driving anywhere % ouce.. j iutbance in r '>ese ateas during near bird or rurtie nests.Not ***"5""'" I nesting time for sea turties and only can vehicles crush t. as. 4
'"' m colony-nesting seabirds," said but hatchling turcles and some ,,,, # , . =,= , _
RandyWilson,sectionleader for newly hatched seabirds can =
the Wildlife Commission's Non. become trapped in the tire ruts.
game and Endangered Wildhfe Nests of threatened logger- 3 Prcaram. " Walking, playing or head sea eurties and colony-drivingin these areas can destroy nesting seabirds are protected by criticainests. Visitors should state and federallaws. Violation, Beachesitor shouldbeauureuf view wildhfe from a distance that of these laws may be reported to signslike this alertmg them that doesn't disturb n>ters at this the Wildlife Commission's roll- beachr.aring wildlifeis rearby.
critical breeding season." free bothne at 1800-662 7137.
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v Appendix 6. Carolina Power'& Light Company customer billinsert on protection of nesting sea turtles.
CP&L Works With Fish
& Wildlife Agencies The Carolinas are home to many endangered creatures includ-ing sea turdes. At night they come ashore and lay their eggs in the sand. Lights near the beach can disorient their hatchlings and cause them to wander away. Most die from exposure, dehydration or being run over. You can helpjust by not disturbing turdes crawling to or from the ocean and by shielding or redirecting lighting away from the beach.
For more information on how you can help, in North Caro-lina, call 1 -800-662-7137, and in South Carolina call 1 -800-922-5431. i
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- . ., ) 4:/ ^ :,, b $'F r
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cc:
Ms. Hilda Diaz-Soltero, Director
, ONice of Protected Resources .
National Maritime Fisheries Service 1315 East-West Highway '
Silver Spring, MD 20910 Ms. Ruth Boettcher, Sea Turtle Project Coordinator Endangered Species Program North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission P.O. Box 178 i Marshallberg, NC 28553 l Mr. Keith R. Jury, Manager- Regulatory A# airs Brunswick Steam Electric Plant Carolina Power & Light Company P.O. Box 10429 ;
Southport, NC 28461-0429 l 1
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