ML102640500

Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Summary for August 2009

ML102640500
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	09/04/2009
From:	Weege S Inwater Research Group
To:	Division of License Renewal
References
Download: ML102640500 (7)

Text

Balsam, Briana From: Stephen Weege [steveweege@yahoo.com]

Sent: Saturday, September 04, 2010 3:51 PM To: RidsNrrDlr Resource

Subject:

FPL/ St. Lucie Monthly Reports - August 2009 Attachments: August 2009 Cover Letter.doc; August 2009 Marine Turtle Captures.rtf; Monthly Report Notes 2009.xls; FPL St. Lucie Capture Summary 2009.xls

Dear Dr. Logan,

I am forwarding you the monthly marine turtle removal reports for the FPL St. Lucie Nuclear Power Plant. This report is for August 2009. As requested, I will send the 2010 monthly reports starting with February (in a separate e-mail).

The August 2010 monthly report, as well as all future mailings, will be sent to Ridsnrrdlr.resource@nrc.gov.

Please contact me if you have any further questions or concerns. Thank you.

Sincerely, Steve Weege Inwater Research Group sweege@inwater.org (772) 216-5096 1

Mrs. Meghan Koperski Tequesta Field Laboratory 19100 SE Federal Highway Tequesta, FL 33469

Subject:

Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Summary August 2009

Dear Meghan,

Attached, please find the monthly summary of marine turtle removals for August 2009. In August, we captured twenty six (26) Caretta caretta, and eleven (11)

Chelonia mydas at the intake canal of the St. Lucie power plant on South Hutchinson Island. In August, one loggerhead and one green turtle were transported to the Marinelife Center in Juno Beach for treatment after consultation with FFWCC personnel. The loggerhead had fishing line tightly wrapped around both front flippers causing deep constriction wounds. Fishing line was also protruding from the mouth. The green turtle had limited range of motion to its rear flippers possibly creating buoyancy issues. Both events were considered not causal to power plant operation. All other turtles captured in August were released on the same day of capture.

Heavy amounts of drift algae were entrained into the canal during August 22, 23, and 24. Divers were deployed for three days during the month to clean the primary barrier net in order to maintain its integrity. During August, the primary barrier net performed as designed and effectively kept turtles confined east of this net.

Tag numbers and morphometric data for all turtles are attached. Also, attached is a spreadsheet for all captures, mortalities, injuries and causal events delineated by species and month for 2009. This spreadsheet tracks fresh scrapes and will be helpful in determining the success of the intake pipe-cleaning project. If you have any questions or comments about the enclosed data please contact me at your convenience.

As of August 15, 2009 Inwater Research Group Inc. (a nonprofit organization) became responsible for all sea turtle work conducted at the St. Lucie power plant. Our group includes researchers with over 100 years of combined experience in almost every facet of sea turtle biology. We excel at implementing exploratory studies in the coastal waters of Florida and look forward to improving the sea turtle research program at the St. Lucie power plant. For more information about our organization please go to www.inwater.org. I will be responsible for sending out the monthly sea turtle captures report and will be managing the sea turtle work at the St. Lucie power plant. This should be a seamless transition as we have retained the sea turtle biologists at the power

plant and Michael Bresette is still very much involved as the president of Inwater Research Group. I look forward to working with you in the future and if you have any questions please dont hesitate to reach me by email or phone.

Sincerely, David A. Singewald Sr. Environmental Specialist Inwater Research Group, Inc.

4160 NE Hyline Dr.

Jensen Beach, FL 34957 772-465-6077 www.inwater.org

MARINE TURTLE REMOVALS ST. LUCIE PLANT INTAKE CANAL AUGUST 2009 Date Species Note Tag #'s SMCL SSCL CSCL CMCW SMCW SMPL Weight Method (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (kg) 8/3/2009 Caretta caretta YYW355/YYW356 70.3 71.3 77.9 77.4 62.2 56.6 52.8 Hand capture 8/3/2009 Caretta caretta YYW357/YYW358 74.5 76.4 81.5 75.0 61.6 58.9 60.5 Hand capture 8/3/2009 Caretta caretta YYW359/YYW360 80.4 81.6 90.2 85.3 66.2 63.7 78.4 Hand capture 8/3/2009 Caretta caretta 1 YYW361/YYW362 90.5 92.5 99.3 91.9 71.9 71.4 111.4 Hand capture 8/4/2009 Chelonia mydas 2 59.8 59.8 66.8 64.7 50.4 51.6 37.0 Dip net 8/4/2009 Caretta caretta 3 YYW363/YYW364 101.7 102.4 108.8 96.0 77.9 76.6 155.5 North net 8/7/2009 Caretta caretta 4 YYW365/YYW366 97.7 97.7 102.9 98.6 73.9 78.3 132.3 South net 8/10/2009 Caretta caretta 5 YYW367/YYW368 86.5 87.2 96.5 86.4 70.2 63.8 92.1 Hand capture 8/10/2009 Caretta caretta YYW369/YYW370 66.4 68.1 72.0 66.0 54.2 53.0 38.9 Hand capture 8/10/2009 Caretta caretta YYW371/YYW372 69.8 70.7 77.4 72.8 58.9 56.4 51.4 Hand capture 8/10/2009 Caretta caretta YYW373/YYW374 62.3 63.1 68.5 65.7 53.2 48.9 37.9 South net 8/13/2009 Caretta caretta 6 YYB108/YYB109 63.7 64.4 68.2 66.9 53.5 49.9 38.1 Hand capture 8/13/2009 Caretta caretta 7 YYW375/YYW376 93.1 93.9 102.2 89.8 74.9 69.7 114.5 Hand capture 8/13/2009 Caretta caretta YYW377/YYW378 65.8 66.5 72.9 69.0 56.2 52.5 39.4 Hand capture 8/15/2009 Caretta caretta 8 YYW379/YYW380 94.8 95.8 100.8 93.4 73.3 73.9 127.9 South net 8/16/2009 Chelonia mydas YYW381/YYW382 42.7 42.8 45.7 37.5 31.7 33.9 9.7 North net 8/18/2009 Chelonia mydas 9 32.2 32.5 33.5 26.9 24.9 27.8 4.3 Hand capture

Date Species Note Tag #'s SMCL SSCL CSCL CMCW SMCW SMPL Weight Method (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (kg) 8/18/2009 Chelonia mydas 10 39.9 41.7 44.1 39.2 33.5 35.9 9.9 Hand capture 8/18/2009 Caretta caretta 11 YYR383/YYR384 68.4 69.7 74.5 70.1 59.6 52.0 40.8 Hand capture 8/18/2009 Caretta caretta YYW383/YYW384 53.0 54.0 57.0 54.5 44.5 41.8 20.9 North net 8/18/2009 Caretta caretta YYW385/YYW386 77.7 78.4 84.7 77.9 62.1 60.6 72.2 Hand capture 8/19/2009 Caretta caretta 12 75.2 75.3 77.6 73.9 59.3 55.0 64.8 Hand capture 8/19/2009 Chelonia mydas 33.0 33.1 35.4 29.3 25.5 26.3 4.5 Dip net 8/20/2009 Chelonia mydas 25.2 25.4 26.5 23.1 20.7 21.8 2.2 Dip net 8/20/2009 Caretta caretta 13 YYW387/YYW388 90.4 93.0 98.8 86.7 70.6 72.2 105.8 Hand capture 8/20/2009 Caretta caretta YYW389/YYW390 70.9 72.6 77.7 70.2 56.8 54.1 49.9 Hand capture 8/20/2009 Chelonia mydas YYW391 50.5 50.9 54.1 47.6 42.4 41.6 16.5 Hand capture 8/20/2009 Chelonia mydas YYW392/YYW393 42.2 42.3 44.8 38.2 31.9 34.3 10.2 Hand capture 8/21/2009 Caretta caretta 14 YYW394/YYW395 87.2 88.3 93.7 83.0 66.9 68.7 92.5 North net 8/24/2009 Chelonia mydas 26.1 26.7 27.2 24.4 22.7 22.3 2.1 Dip net 8/25/2009 Caretta caretta 15 YYW396/YYW397 89.8 90.1 98.3 89.0 68.4 68.4 96.3 Hand capture 8/25/2009 Caretta caretta YYW398/YYW399 67.6 69.3 75.5 73.2 58.0 53.5 49.5 Hand capture 8/27/2009 Caretta caretta 16 59.9 60.8 68.0 64.8 52.7 47.5 34.2 Hand capture 8/27/2009 Chelonia mydas 17 YYW400 46.8 47.3 50.3 43.7 37.3 39.2 13.9 South net 8/29/2009 Caretta caretta 18 UUB601/UUB602 85.5 86.0 90.0 87.4 69.9 68.0 100.0 South net 8/29/2009 Caretta caretta UUB603/UUB604 57.1 57.9 62.6 61.0 51.2 46.0 32.0 South net 8/30/2009 Chelonia mydas 19 YYR468 55.4 55.7 59.1 54.3 45.5 46.0 23.4 South net

NOTES

1. Adult female. Tail length = 278 mm.

2. Recapture. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 1/7/03, 3/10/06, 8/23/06 and 4/23/08. Turtle has buoyancy issues and rear flippers appear to have limited range of motion. Transported to Marinelife Center by Center personnel. Not causal to power plant operation.

3. Adult female. Tail length = 275 mm.

4. Adult female. Tail length = 246 mm.

5. Adult female. Tail length = 188 mm.

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

7. Adult female. Tail length = 243 mm.

8. Adult female. Tail length = 225 mm.

9. Recapture. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 12/4/08.

10. Recapture. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 1/25/06 and 9/28/06.

11. Recapture. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 10/4/08 and 12/19/08.

12. Recapture. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 5/30/89, 9/6/90, 10/11/90, 10/15/90, 2/23/91, 8/10/92, 8/27/92, 9/21/92, 1/6/93, 6/8/93, 12/29/93, 3/22/94, 10/31/94, 3/17/95, 4/20/95, 2/7/96, 4/7/96, 7/11/96, 7/23/96, 7/29/96, 9/22/96, 10/9/96, 6/13/97, 5/15/98, 4/15/00, 6/13/00, 9/8/00, 11/19/00, 11/15/01, 9/16/02, 4/30/03, 11/24/03, 3/31/04, 9/15/04, 10/25/04, 8/10/05, 8/16/06, 4/30/08 and 9/26/08. Adult male. Tail length = 380 mm.

13. Adult female. Tail length = 227 mm.

14. Adult female. Tail length = 214 mm.

15. Adult female. Tail length = 250 mm.

16. Turtle found with fishing line tightly wrapped around both front flippers causing constriction wounds. Line was removed. Fishing line also present protruding from mouth and going down into throat. Transported to Marinelife Center by FWCC personnel. Not causal to power plant operation.

17. Recapture. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 11/5/05, 9/23/06, 10/10/06, 10/24/06, 12/28/06, 12/9/07, 4/8/08, 10/16/08 and 11/28/08.

18. Adult female. Tail length = 216 mm.

19. Recapture. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 2/24/06, 10/6/07, 12/5/08 and 4/3/09.

SMCL = Straight Minimum Carapace Length SMCL = Straight Standard Carapace Length CSCL = Curved Standard Carapace Length CMCW = Curved Maximum Carapace Width SMCW = Straight Maximum Carapace Width SMPL = Straight Midline Plastron Length

Loggerheads Green turtles Hawksbills Leatherbacks Kemp's ridley (Chelonia (Eretmochelys (Dermochelys (Lepidochelys (Caretta caretta) mydas) imbricata) coriacea) kempii) Overall Totals Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Aug-09 Date Aug-09 Date Aug-09 Date Aug-09 Date Aug-09 Date Aug-09 Date Captures 26 185 11 111 0 2 0 1 0 0 37 299 Causal Mortalities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Non-causal Mortalities 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Causal Injuries 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Sent to rehab 1 11 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 14 Fresh Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Scrapes Aug-09 Date Aug-09 Date Aug-09 Date Aug-09 Date Aug-09 Date Aug-09 Date None 1 19 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 25 Minor 20 114 8 71 0 1 0 0 0 0 28 186 Moderate 5 49 2 32 0 1 0 1 0 0 7 83 Severe 0 3 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 Percent with mod/sev scrapes 19.2% 28.1% 18.2% 30.6% #DIV/0! 50.0% #DIV/0! 100.0% #DIV/0! #DIV/0! 18.9% 29.4%