RA-14-101, Annual Report of Sea Turtle Incidental Takes - 2014

Annual Report of Sea Turtle Incidental Takes - 2014

ML14364A157
Person / Time
Site:	Oyster Creek
Issue date:	12/19/2014
From:	Dostal J Exelon Generation Co
To:	Crocker J Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, State of MA, Div of Fisheries & Wildlife
References
RA-14-101
Download: ML14364A157 (12)

Text

A ExeLon Generation 50 CFR 402.14(i)(3)

December 19, 2014 RA-14-101 National Marine Fisheries Service Northeast Region Protected Resources Division One Blackburn Drive Gloucester, MA 01930 Attention: Julie Crocker, Section 7 Coordinator Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-16 NRC Docket No. 50-219

Subject:

ANNUAL REPORT OF SEA TURTLE INCIDENTAL TAKES - 2014

Dear Ms. Crocker:

Enclosed is a copy of the 2014 Annual Sea Turtle Incidental Take Report for the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station. The report is submitted in accordance with Terms and Conditions No. 8 of the Incidental Take Statement of the 2011 Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation Biological Opinion.

If you have any questions concerning this submittal, please contact Kathryn Houlahan, Environmental Scientist, at (609) 971-2588.

Sincerely, C Jeyff Pt.ostal Plant Manager Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station

Enclosures:

Annual Report of Sea Turtle Incidental Takes- 2014 2014 Incidental Take Reports cc: NRC Document Control Desk%/

Administrator, Region I NRC Senior Project Manager NRC Senior Resident Inspector 277

Enclosure to RA-14-101 Annual Report of Sea Turtle Incidental Takes - 2014 Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR-16 Docket No. 50-219 Prepared by:

Kathryn Houlahan, Environmental Scientist Kathy Paez, Regulatory Specialist Exelon Generation December 2014

Introduction The Annual Report of Sea Turtle Incidental Takes provides a summary of the incidental takes of all species of sea turtles at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station (OCNGS) during the past year. The report is required by Terms and Conditions (T&C) # 8 of the Incidental Take Statement (ITS) of the OCNGS Endangered Species Act Section 7 Consultation Biological Opinion. This report covers all incidental takes and sightings of sea turtles that occurred during 2014.

Incidental Take Reports documenting the circumstances of incidental takes of sea turtles were completed following eight OCNGS sea turtle incidental takes during 2014 and were provided to the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) within 30 days of each incidental take. Sea Turtle Incidental Take Reports 2014-1 though 2014-8 are summarized in Attachment 1. Photographs of the eight turtles, as well as the necropsy reports for the two sea turtles that died at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, have already been supplied with the individual reports and therefore are not included in this report.

Take Incidental Take Date / Time (condition and species) 2014-1 Sunday, June 15, 2014/1455 (Live juvenile Kemp's ridley) 2014-2 Monday, June 16, 2014/ 0020 (Live juvenile Kemp's ridley) 2014-3 Thursday, July 3, 2014/0802 (Live Loggerhead) 2014-4 Saturday, July 19, 2014/2000 (Live juvenile Kemp's ridley) 2014-5 Wednesday, August 6, 2014/ 0400 (Live juvenile Kemp's ridley) 2014-6 Wednesday, August 13, 2014/ 0406 (Live juvenile Kemp's ridley) 2014-7 Tuesday, September 2, 2014/ 0200 (Live juvenile Kemp's ridley) 2014-8 Monday, September 8, 2014/ 2245 (Live juvenile Kemp's ridley)

Comparison of Annual Sea Turtle Incidental Takes With Prior Years The eight OCNGS incidental takes during 2014 is greater than the long-term average of approximately four incidental takes per year recorded over the last twenty years. However, the annual abundance of sea turtles in this vicinity appears to be highly variable, unpredictable, and unrelated to the operation of OCNGS. There are several factors that may influence the number of sea turtle incidental takes that occur at OCNGS. Barnegat Inlet, the only tidal inlet in the vicinity of Oyster Creek, which provides access to Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean, was deepened during dredging operations in the early 1990s. Completion of the Barnegat Inlet dredging operation resulted in an increase in the tidal prism, or volume of water entering and exiting the inlet on a single tidal cycle, as well as a slightly greater tidal range at Oyster Creek.

The deepening of Barnegat Inlet and associated waterway channels was completed immediately prior to 1992, when incidental takes of sea turtles began to occur at OCNGS, and may partially explain the occurrence of the turtles. Increased regulatory protection of sea turtles under the Endangered Species Act also began in the early 1990s.

Physical factors, such as an oceanic front or an oceanic eddy occurring unusually close to Barnegat Inlet, may also play a part in the prevalence of sea turtles near Oyster Creek because oceanic fronts have been shown to be used as a migratory and forage habitat by sea turtles (Polovina et al, 2000). Experience has also shown that the passage of a severe storm or

pressure system near Barnegat Inlet can cause major increases in winds, waves, tides and tidal prism in shallow estuarine waters such as Barnegat Bay. These events could increase the likelihood of slowly swimming organisms such as sea turtles occurring in the estuary. It is likely that the local variability of sea turtle abundance is also related to biological factors including the abundance of organisms on which sea turtles prefer to feed, including crabs such as blue crabs, horseshoe crabs, and calico crabs, as well as sponges and various types of algae. The higher than average number of incidental takes in 2014 may have been an anomaly based on favorable physical conditions or prey abundance. However, an analysis of the number of incidental takes at OCNGS indicates that there has been a gradual increase in the average annual number of incidental takes in recent years in comparison to the previous decade. For example, a total of twenty sea turtle incidental takes occurred at OCNGS between 1992 and 2001 (an average of two takes per year) but 70 incidental takes occurred between 2002 and 2013 (an average of over five takes per year). This recent trend of increasing OCNGS incidental takes parallels a similar trend of generally increasing sea turtle strandings reported during that period by the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) along the Atlantic coast. The conduct of operations at the OCNGS intakes has not been changed in any manner that would explain the recent increase in takes. However, the increase may reflect the long-term success of turtle legislative protection and conservation measures such as TED implementation, nest and egg protection at sea turtle nesting sites, and turtle head-starting programs.

Many years of environmental sampling conducted near OCNGS have repeatedly demonstrated that the abundance of various marine organisms can vary considerably from year to year, often by orders of magnitude. This is particularly true for seasonal migrants, whose abundance in Barnegat Bay is highly dependent upon physical and biological factors along the migratory route. Therefore, the observed annual variation in sea turtle incidental takes at OCNGS from a minimum of zero to a maximum of eleven per year is not considered particularly significant.

In the most recent OCNGS Biological Opinion and ITS, issued in November 2011, NMFS determined that no more than 71 Kemp's ridley sea turtles, 6 loggerhead sea turtles, and 11 Atlantic green sea turtles are likely to be directly affected by interaction with OCNGS during the remainder of the OCNGS operating license (i.e., through 2029). The cumulative numbers of post-2011 incidental takes are listed below and can be used for comparison with the allowable species totals during the remainder of the OCNGS operating license:

Turtle Species Cumulative Total to Date 11/2011-12/2029 Kemp's ridley 18 Loggerhead 3 Green 1 OCNGS expects ongoing support from the Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) for both transfers of live sea turtles for rehabilitation and as the primary facility for necropsies. OCNGS has noted the exceptional past efforts by the dedicated and capable MMSC staff in the care and rehabilitation of sea turtles transferred to the Brigantine facility, and that exceptional level of care was again apparent during 2014.

The ultimate goal of the considerable effort being put forward at OCNGS for the protection of sea turtles is to protect the turtles that do arrive at the plant, and to release as many turtles as possible to safety. The OCNGS program for the protection of threatened and endangered sea

turtles can be considered to be quite successful because most of the sea turtles incidentally captured at OCNGS since 1992 (with some in distress prior to being taken) have subsequently been rehabilitated and released alive and well, to the Atlantic Ocean in locations free from potential cold-shock owing to the efforts of OCNGS and MMSC personnel.

References Polovina, J.J., D.R. Kobayashi, D.M. Ellis, M.P. Seki, and G.H. Balazs. 2000. Turtles on the edge: Movement of loggerhead turtles (Carettacaretta)along oceanic fronts in the central North Pacific, 1997-1998. Fish. Oceanogr., 9: 71-82.

Enclosure to RA-14-101 ATTACHMENT 1 2014 Incidental Take Reports

Incidental Take 2014-1 Incidental Take 2014-2 Incidental Take 2014-3 OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT:

Observer's full name: Bryan Savick Colin Wade Brian Risley Reporter's full name: John Devenney Thomas J. Busk Jeremy Sharkey Species Identification (Key Kemp's ridley Kemp's ridley Loggerhead attached): KepsrdlyKm'srdeLgeha Site of Impingement (CWS DWS CWS DWS or DWS):

Bay Number: 1 1 3 Date animal observed: 15-Jun-14 16-Jun-14 3-Jul-14 Time animal observed: 14:55 0:20 8:02 Date animal collected: 15-Jun-14 16-Jun-14 3-Jul-14 Time animal collected: 15:00 0:25 14:50 CONDITIONS AT

• COLLECTION: ... ... ,._..",- , ..

Tidal Stage: High Tide Low Tide Low Tide Cloud conditions: Overcast/Cloudy Overcast/Cloudy Clear Precipitation: None None None Intake water temperature: 73.8°F 73.9°F 84°F Other conditions None Air temperature 60'F None Number of CW pumps 4 4 4 running:

Number of DW pumps 2 2 2 running:

Reactor power level at 100% 100% 100%

observation:

Reactor power previous 100% 100% 100%

48-hours:

Date of last screen 15-Jun-14 15-Jun-14 3-Jul-14 inspection:

Time of last screen 11:30 19:40 7:40 inspection:

Date of last trash raking: 14-Jun-14 15-Jun-14 3-Jul-14 Time of last trash raking: 12:14 19:40 8:54

Incidental Take 2014-1 Incidental Take 2014-2 Incidental Take 2014-3 ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENT: "

Date Brigantine MMSC 15-Jun-14 16-Jun-14 3-Jul-14 contacted:

Time Brigantine MMSC 15:41 1:09 12:40 contacted:

Date Animal picked up by 15-Jun-14 16-Jun-14 3-Jul-14 MMSC:

Time Animal picked up by 17:40 8:28 16:30 MMSC:

State of animal when first Alive Alive Alive observed:

State of animal when Alive Alive Alive collected:

State of animal when picked Alive Alive Alive up:

State of animal arriving at Alive, but lethargic Alive, part of the rear MMSC: Alive carapace and a few scutes.

Final disposition of animal: Buried by MMSC, off Alive, taken to rehab Alive, taken to rehab facility beach facility Carapace Length - Curved 27.0 cm 27.3 cm 63.5 cm Carapace Length - Straight 22.7 cm 26.3 cm 56.3 cm Carapace Width - Curved: 27.0 cm 27.8 cm 27.5 cm Carapace Width - Straight: 25.1 cm 24.6 cm 55.5 cm Weight - lbs (kgs) 5.4 lbs (2.4 kg) 5.9 lbs (2.7 kg) 91.4 lbs (41.5 kg)

Existing Tag Number no tag no tag no tag Photograph attached Yes Yes Yes Diagram of wounds, abnormalities, tag locations Yes Yes Yes attached Alive, but lethargic.

Several scars on carapace and body along Alive, missing half of the with numerous barnacles Alive, slightly lethargic. RFF and part of the rear Description of Animal and algae growth. Died Minor scrapes on later at stranding center. carapace. are missing.

No cause of death identified, some evidence of long term illness.

All information sent to:

National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Region; Protected Resources Yes Yes Yes Division; Attention:

Endangered Species Coordinator; One Blackburn Drive; Gloucester, MA 01930

Incidental Take 2014-4 Incidental Take 2014-5 Incidental Take 2014-6 OPERATIONS . . ............ ... -

D E P A RT ME N T:.. . . . .'" .... . .... " " "" .. .. ...". ..."... .... . ... ..' " ' " "" "

Observer's full name: Brian Breidinger Steve Davis Brian Briedinger Reporter's full name: Jeremy Sharkey Steve Davis Jeremy Sharkey Species Identification (Key Kemp's ridley Kemp's ridley Kemp's ridley attached):

Site of Impingement (CWS or DWS CWS CWS DWS):

Bay Number: 2 1 2 Date animal observed: 19-Jul-14 6-Aug-14 13-Aug-14 Time animal observed: 20:00 4:00 4:06 Date animal collected: 19-Jul-14 6-Aug-14 13-Aug-14 Time animal collected: 20:10 4:05 4:06 CONDITIONSCOLLEC ATION: ...*'.* : *' ":::"-'::: . .........

':*-* " '....." =..' .. ...*:-"'.....................................',............ ...- ..... ,

COLLECTION: .v ->,.

Tidal Stage: Low Tide High Tide Low Tide Cloud conditions: Cloudy Clear Overcast Precipitation: None None None Intake water temperature: 79"F 79.7"F 79.2°F Other conditions None None None Number of CW pumps 4 4 4 running:

Number of DW pumps 2 2 2 running:

Reactor power level at 100% 84% 99.80%

observation:

Reactor power previous 48- 100% 97.30% 99.80%

hours:

Date of last screen inspection: 19-Jul-14 6-Aug-14 13-Aug-14 Time of last screen 16:45 0:01 0:40 inspection:

Date of last trash raking: 19-Jul-14 5-Aug-14 12-Aug-14 Time of last trash raking: 15:17 3:11 1:12

Incidental Take 2014-4 Incidental Take 2014-5 Incidental Take 2014-6 ENVIRONMENTAL - .

DEPARTMENT: .,' __-. . , . . , . . . , .

Date Brigantine MMSC 19-Jul-14 6-Aug-14 13-Aug-14 contacted:

Time Brigantine MMSC 20:20 4:30 4:27 contacted:

Date Animal picked up by 19-Jul-14 19-Jul-14 13-Aug-14 MMSC:

Time Animal picked up by 21:40 21:40 11:50 MMSC:

State of animal when first Alive Alive Alive observed:

State of animal when Alive Alive Alive collected:

State of animal when picked Alive Alive Alive up:

Alive, with prop cut, Alive, with prop cut, Alive, bright, alert, and State of animal arriving at damage to the right side damage to the right side responsive. No obvious MMSC: of the carapace, and a of the carapace, and a broken beak. broken beak. injuries or illness.

Final disposition of animal: Buried by MMSC, off Alive, released in Alive, released in beach Brigantine Brigantine, NJ.

Carapace Length - Curved 28.6 cm 30.4 cm 26.2 cm Carapace Length - Straight 27.6 cm 28.7 cm 25.1 cm Carapace Width - Curved: 29.0 cm 30.4 cm 25.8 cm Carapace Width - Straight: 25.3 cm 26.1 cm 23.1 cm Weight - lbs (kgs) 6.6 lbs (3.0 kg) 7.9 lbs (3.6 kg) 4.8 lbs (2.2 kg)

Existing Tag Number no tag no tag no tag Photograph attached Yes Yes Yes Diagram of wounds, abnormalities, tag locations Yes Yes Yes attached Alive, with prop cut to center left carapace and Alive, alert, responsive.

severe damage to beak. No significant injuries.

The animal was Alive, alert, and responsive.

Description of Animal euthanized by by MMSC euthnize MSC Old wound onthat of carapace left had edge No obvious injury or illness.

because it could not eat, haled.

due to the extent of these healed.

injuries.

All information sent to:

National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Region; Protected Resources Division; Yes Yes Yes Attention: Endangered Species Coordinator; One Blackburn Drive; Gloucester, MA 01930

p Incidental Take 2014-7 Incidental Take 2014-8 OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT: __ _. ......

Observer's full name: Christopher Phillips Pete Frausto Reporter's full name: Christopher Phillips Pete Frausto Species Identification (Key Kemp's ridley Kemp's ridley attached):

Site of Impingement (CWS or CWS DWS DWS):

Bay Number: 1 3 Date animal observed: 2-Sep-14 8-Sep-14 Time animal observed: 2:00 22:45 Date animal collected: 2-Sep-14 8-Sep-14 Time animal collected: 2:00 22:45 CONDITIONS AT COLLECTION:

Tidal Stage: High Tide Low Tide Cloud conditions: Clear Clear Precipitation: None None Intake water temperature: 77.7*F 75.7°F Other conditions None None Number of CW pumps 4 4 running:

Number of DW pumps running:

Reactor power level at 100% 100%

observation:

Reactor power previous 48- 100% 100%

hours:

Date of last screen inspection: 2-Sep-14 8-Sep-14 Time of last screen 0:01 21:00 inspection:

Date of last trash raking: 1-Sep-14 8-Sep-14 Time of last trash raking: 5:13 16:59

Incidental Take 2014-7 Incidental Take 2014-8 ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENT:

Date Brigantine MMSC 2-Sep-14 8-Sep-14 contacted:

Time Brigantine MMSC 1.00 23.30 contacted:

Date Animal picked up by 2-Sep-14 9-Sep-14 MMSC:

Time Animal picked up by 9:40 10:00 MMSC:

State of animal when first Alive Alive observed:

State of animal when Alive Alive collected:

State of animal when picked Alive Alive up:

State of animal arriving at Alive, bright, alert, and Alive, bright, alert, and MMSC: responsive. No obvious injuries responsive. No significant or illness. injuries.

Final disposition of animal: Alive, released in Brigantine, NJ Alive, released in Brigantine, NJ Carapace Length - Curved 29.0 cm 32.5 cm Carapace Length - Straight 28.0 cm 31.3 cm Carapace Width - Curved: 30.0 cm 33.5 cm Carapace Width - Straight: 26.0 cm 28.2 cm Weight - lbs (kgs) 6.7 lbs (3.0 kg) 9.4 lbs (4.3 kg)

Existing Tag Number no tag no tag Photograph attached Yes Yes Diagram of wounds, abnormalities, tag locations Yes Yes attached Alive, bright, alert, and Alive, alert, and responsive. No Description of Animal responsive. No obvious injuries significant injuries. Some minor Des n oiv.no

. abrasions on carapace and or illness. plastron.

All information sent to:

National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Region; Protected Resources Division; Yes Yes Attention: Endangered Species Coordinator; One Blackburn Drive; Gloucester, MA 01930