ML102420159

Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Summary for November 2009

ML102420159
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	12/03/2009
From:	Singewald D Inwater Research Group
To:	Bresette M, Gless J, Hoffman B, Hollowell E, Koperski M, Logan D, Munne V, Niebch D, Norton S Florida Power & Light Co, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, US Dept of Commerce, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Admin, National Ocean Service
References
Download: ML102420159 (5)

Text

Balsam, Briana From: Dave Singewald [davesingewald@inwater.org]

Sent: Thursday, December 03, 2009 11:47 AM To: Meghan Koperski; Logan, Dennis; Ed Hollowell; Shelly Norton; Vince Munne; Bob Hoffman; david_niebch@fpl.com; jodie_gless@fpl.com; Michael J Bresette

Subject:

November 2009 Monthly Report (St. Lucie Plant Intake Canal)

Attachments: Nov09rep.rtf; Notes09.xls; St. Lucie caps 2009.xls Mrs. Meghan Koperski Tequesta Field Laboratory 19100 SE Federal Highway Tequesta, FL 33469

Subject:

Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Summary November 2009

Dear Meghan,

Attached, please find the monthly summary of marine turtle removals for November 2009. In November, we captured thirteen (13) Caretta caretta, and fourteen (14) Chelonia mydas at the intake canal of the St. Lucie power plant on Hutchinson Island. On November 18, a juvenile green turtle was found dead at the surface of the primary barrier net. Puncture wounds (bites) were observed to both the carapace and plastron and the turtle was in moderate to severe decomposition. After consultation with FWCC personnel this mortality was determined to be non-causal to power plant operation and is presently being held in a freezer for future necropsy. On November 20, a juvenile green turtle was captured and found to have multiple fresh cuts and scrapes to the head as well as a large cut above the left eye exposing the skull. This turtle was transported by FWCC personnel to the Marinelife Center in Juno Beach. This event was considered causal to power plant operation. All other turtles captured in November were released on the same day of capture.

Throughout the month of November the temporary 5 barrier net experienced mostly light loads of algae that entered into the intake canal however, due to tropical storm Ida in the Atlantic, moderate to heavy loads of algae began entering the canal on November 4 and continued through November 11 threatening the integrity of the net. Divers were deployed for a period of five days to clean and inspect the net during this time period.

A permanent fix to the primary net is currently in the design phase.

Tag numbers and morphometric data for all turtles are attached. Also, attached is a spreadsheet of all captures, mortalities, injuries and causal events delineated by species and month/year to date for 2009. This spreadsheet also includes and tracks fresh scrapes incurred on captured turtles 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.

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

4160 NE Hyline Dr.

Jensen Beach, FL 34957 772-465-6077 1

MARINE TURTLE REMOVALS ST. LUCIE PLANT INTAKE CANAL NOVEMBER 2009 Date Species Note Tag #'s SMCL SSCL CSCL CMCW SMCW SMPL Weight Method (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (kg) 11/2/2009 Caretta caretta UUB675/UUB676 62.2 63.4 68.7 65.3 50.5 48.6 36.9 North net 11/3/2009 Chelonia mydas 27.7 28.2 29.4 24.9 22.7 23.1 2.6 Barrier net 11/4/2009 Chelonia mydas 1 YYR451 45.6 46.1 48.6 42.1 37.1 38.3 13.4 South net 11/9/2009 Caretta caretta 2 UUB677/UUB678 75.9 77.2 84.0 75.1 61.6 59.9 66.8 North net 11/10/2009 Caretta caretta UUB679/UUB680 70.3 71.2 75.8 73.9 58.1 52.3 42.3 North net 11/10/2009 Caretta caretta UUB681/UUB682 68.9 70.3 75.3 72.4 56.4 54.1 43.9 North net 11/10/2009 Chelonia mydas UUB683 32.4 32.7 34.7 28.6 25.8 27.0 4.1 North net 11/10/2009 Chelonia mydas 3 YYB454 52.8 53.2 56.2 46.3 40.2 45.2 19.1 North net 11/12/2009 Chelonia mydas 28.9 29.3 30.6 25.9 23.1 23.7 3.2 Dip net 11/14/2009 Chelonia mydas 26.9 27.4 28.7 24.0 21.6 21.9 2.2 Dip net 11/14/2009 Caretta caretta UUB684/UUB685 63.7 65.0 69.9 67.4 55.3 51.8 37.6 North net 11/14/2009 Caretta caretta UUB686/UUB687 65.8 66.8 72.3 70.4 58.8 53.6 43.2 North net 11/15/2009 Caretta caretta UUB688/UUB689 64.3 65.3 70.2 68.0 54.5 49.2 38.9 South net 11/15/2009 Caretta caretta UUB690/UUB691 61.7 62.2 66.7 63.3 51.4 48.5 33.1 Dip net 11/16/2009 Chelonia mydas 28.9 29.5 30.8 25.9 23.3 24.9 2.8 Hand capture 11/16/2009 Caretta caretta UUB692/UUB694 67.0 68.9 73.8 70.0 56.1 52.2 38.9 Hand capture 11/16/2009 Chelonia mydas UUB693 37.7 37.9 39.4 33.5 28.5 31.1 6.3 Hand capture

Date Species Note Tag #'s SMCL SSCL CSCL CMCW SMCW SMPL Weight Method (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (kg) 11/18/2009 Chelonia mydas 4 29.1 29.5 31.3 26.5 23.4 24.0 3.0 Barrier net 11/18/2009 Caretta caretta UUB695/UUB696 55.3 56.6 62.2 57.2 47.9 43.5 24.4 South net 11/19/2009 Chelonia mydas 26.6 27.0 28.5 24.8 22.1 22.6 2.5 Dip net 11/19/2009 Chelonia mydas UUB697/UUB698 56.0 56.5 59.6 52.5 44.9 45.5 22.1 South net 11/20/2009 Caretta caretta UUB699/UUB700 59.7 61.0 66.6 65.2 54.1 48.7 34.1 South net 11/20/2009 Chelonia mydas 5 UUB701/UUB702 62.1 62.2 68.1 57.9 47.7 51.7 35.0 North net 11/24/2009 Caretta caretta UUB703/UUB704 63.4 64.2 68.5 63.0 53.1 49.7 32.5 Hand capture 11/25/2009 Chelonia mydas UUB705 37.2 37.8 41.6 34.2 28.5 31.2 6.7 South net 11/30/2009 Chelonia mydas 31.5 31.6 33.0 28.0 24.7 26.1 3.8 Dip net 11/30/2009 Caretta caretta UUB706/UUB707 61.0 62.0 67.2 66.1 51.4 48.9 36.7 North net

NOTES

1. Recapture. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 11/25/08.

2. Recapture. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 8/4/02, 9/17/02, 11/5/02, 4/15/03, 7/1/03, 2/16/04, 4/11/05, 6/19/06, 9/16/06, 8/15/07, 8/7/08 and 7/28/09.

3. Recapture. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 12/29/02, 4/8/03, 6/24/03, 2/3/04, 8/29/04, 5/22/05, 7/11/05, 9/15/05, 10/20/05, 6/15/06, 4/22/08, 10/9/08 and 4/22/09.

4. Turtle found dead at surface of primary barrier net. Puncture wounds (bites) to carapace and plastron.

Turtle very bloated and in moderate to severe decomposition. Not causal to power plant operation. Held in freezer for future necropsy if needed.

5. Turtle found with multiple deep fresh scrapes on head and carapace. Large fresh scrape over left eye (skull exposed). Fresh scrapes are severe and injuries are causal to power plant operation. Transported to Marinelife Center by FWCC personnel.

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 Nov-09 Date Nov-09 Date Nov-09 Date Nov-09 Date Nov-09 Date Nov-09 Date Captures 13 236 14 137 0 2 0 1 0 0 27 376 Causal Mortalities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Non-causal Mortalities 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 Causal Injuries 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 Sent to rehab 0 13 1 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 18 Fresh Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Scrapes Nov-09 Date Nov-09 Date Nov-09 Date 11/1/200 Date Nov-09 Date Nov-09 Date None 3 24 1 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 32 Minor 9 152 11 86 0 1 0 0 0 0 20 239 Moderate 1 57 1 39 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 98 Severe 0 3 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 7 Percent with mod/sev scrapes 7.7% 25.4% 14.3% 31.4% #DIV/0! 50.0% #DIV/0! 100.0% #DIV/0! #DIV/0! 11.1% 27.9%