ML14191B277

June 2014 FPL Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Report

ML14191B277
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	07/06/2014
From:	Weege S - No Known Affiliation
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML14191B277 (10)

Text

NRR-PMDAPEm Resource From: Steve Weege [steveweege@gmail.com]

Sent: Sunday, July 06, 2014 1:04 PM To: Meghan Koperski Cc: Audra Livergood - NOAA Federal; Ed Hollowell; Jodie Gless; John Jones; Ken Frehafer; Marine Turtle Permit; Michael Bresette; EndangeredSpecies Resource; SCO@dep.state.fl.us; Shelley Norton; Vince Munne; Cody Mott; Jeff Guertin; Ryan Welsh; Serge Aucoin

Subject:

June 2014 FPL Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Report Attachments: June 2014 Marine Turtle Captures.rtf; Monthly Report Notes 2014.xls; FPL St. Lucie Capture Summary 2014.xls; Power Plant Causal Turtles.xlsx Mrs. Meghan Koperski Tequesta Field Laboratory 19100 SE Federal Highway Tequesta, FL 33469

Subject:

Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Summary June 2014

Dear Meghan,

Attached, please find the monthly summary of marine turtle removals for June 2014. This month, we captured thirty-six (36) Caretta caretta and four (4) Chelonia mydas in the intake canal of the St. Lucie power plant on Hutchinson Island. There were no mortalities and only one sea turtle was sent for rehabilitation in the month of June. As with all sea turtle strandings at the Saint Lucie Plant (alive or dead), the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) was consulted and a stranding form was filed with the state through the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network. The stranding incident in June was not considered causal to power plant operations.

There was one noncausal stranding recorded at the Saint Lucie Power Plant during the month of June. A subadult loggerhead was hand captured that had a healing boat strike wound to its posterior carapace. The prop wound was 21 cm long by 9 cm wide and the posterior scutes were flexible to the touch. Although the animal was underweight, it was still active. After consultation with FWC, the regional stranding coordinator transported this turtle to the Brevard Zoo for rehabilitation.

Throughout the month, the 5-inch barrier net experienced severe loads of algae and jellyfish that entered into the intake canal system. During the last three weeks of the month, repeated severe algae intrusions threatened the integrity of the temporary 5-inch barrier net. Underwater Engineering Services, Inc. was called upon to clean and inspect the temporary 5-inch barrier net on numerous occasions. In addition, Inwater Research Group biologists helped to mitigate the potential impact of the algae event by performing around-the-clock monitoring during and after periods of heavy debris intrusion. Through these combined efforts, the temporary barrier net was maintained above water for the duration of the severe algae event. Overall, the temporary barrier net has performed as designed and no turtles have been observed beyond the 5-inch net. Construction of a permanent 5-inch barrier net is currently underway and completion has been projected for late 2014.

The tag numbers and morphometric data for all turtles captured during the month have been included with this report (see attachments/addendums). Also included is a spreadsheet for all captures, mortalities, injuries, and causal events delineated by species and by month for the year 2014. In addition, this spreadsheet also tracks fresh scrapes incurred on captured turtles for the current month, as well as the entire year. An additional Excel spreadsheet tracks all causal injuries and mortalities incurred by sea turtles at the St. Lucie Plant since 2002.

1

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Sincerely, Steve Steve Weege Sr. Environmental Specialist Inwater Research Group, Inc.

4160 NE Hyline Dr.

Jensen Beach, FL 34957 sweege@inwater.org (772) 349-7252 2

Hearing Identifier: NRR_PMDA Email Number: 1419 Mail Envelope Properties (CAJrYmh_O637Qj3uCWU+pyBFZvFFd9bnp1hpA1QXsS3RyCeXraw)

Subject:

June 2014 FPL Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Report Sent Date: 7/6/2014 1:04:21 PM Received Date: 7/6/2014 1:04:35 PM From: Steve Weege Created By: steveweege@gmail.com Recipients:

"Audra Livergood - NOAA Federal" <audra.livergood@noaa.gov>

Tracking Status: None "Ed Hollowell" <Ed.Hollowell@fpl.com>

Tracking Status: None "Jodie Gless" <Jodie_Gless@fpl.com>

Tracking Status: None "John Jones" <John.Jones@fpl.com>

Tracking Status: None "Ken Frehafer" <Ken_Frehafer@fpl.com>

Tracking Status: None "Marine Turtle Permit" <MTP@myfwc.com>

Tracking Status: None "Michael Bresette" <mbresette@inwater.org>

Tracking Status: None "EndangeredSpecies Resource" <EndangeredSpecies.Resource@nrc.gov>

Tracking Status: None "SCO@dep.state.fl.us" <SCO@dep.state.fl.us>

Tracking Status: None "Shelley Norton" <Shelley.Norton@noaa.gov>

Tracking Status: None "Vince Munne" <Vince.Munne@fpl.com>

Tracking Status: None "Cody Mott" <cmott@inwater.org>

Tracking Status: None "Jeff Guertin" <jguertin@gmail.com>

Tracking Status: None "Ryan Welsh" <rwelsh@inwater.org>

Tracking Status: None "Serge Aucoin" <saucoin@gmail.com>

Tracking Status: None "Meghan Koperski" <Meghan.Koperski@MyFWC.com>

Tracking Status: None Post Office: mail.gmail.com Files Size Date & Time MESSAGE 3313 7/6/2014 1:04:35 PM June 2014 Marine Turtle Captures.rtf 25028 Monthly Report Notes 2014.xls 137280 FPL St. Lucie Capture Summary 2014.xls 177728 Power Plant Causal Turtles.xlsx 22049

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Recipients Received:

MARINE TURTLE REMOVALS ST. LUCIE PLANT INTAKE CANAL JUNE 2014 Date Species Note Tag #'s SMCL SSCL CSCL CMCW SMCW SMPL Weight Method (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (kg) 6/2/2014 Caretta caretta 1 EEP730/EEP731 85.2 85.5 90.9 80.1 64.1 65.3 75.7 South net 6/3/2014 Caretta caretta 2 EEA388/EEA389 61.2 61.6 68.0 62.4 49.9 49.6 34.3 North net 6/5/2014 Caretta caretta 3 EEP732/EEP733 84.9 86.4 92.5 83.7 69.1 64.8 94.6 South net 6/6/2014 Caretta caretta EEP734/EEP735 65.1 66.5 70.3 67.6 54.8 51.4 39.8 North net 6/6/2014 Caretta caretta 4 EEP736/EEP737 85.8 86.0 91.6 80.1 65.1 67.1 91.8 North net 6/7/2014 Caretta caretta 5 EEP738/EEP739 93.1 94.4 100.9 70.7 89.7 74.0 Hand capture 6/7/2014 Caretta caretta 6 EEP740/EEP741 81.6 82.8 85.9 80.6 64.8 64.1 Hand capture 6/7/2014 Caretta caretta 7 EEP742/EEP743 91.7 93.6 100.3 91.2 72.4 68.9 94.6 Hand capture 6/7/2014 Caretta caretta EEP744/EEP745 62.7 63.9 67.2 62.0 51.6 50.0 36.6 Hand capture 6/7/2014 Caretta caretta 8 EEP746/EEP747 92.4 94.1 99.9 88.0 72.2 72.2 107.9 Hand capture 6/7/2014 Caretta caretta EEP748/EEP749 65.9 67.4 72.2 70.0 58.5 53.5 48.4 Hand capture 6/9/2014 Caretta caretta EEP750/EEP751 59.4 61.4 63.8 66.0 53.6 49.0 34.8 Hand capture 6/10/2014 Caretta caretta EEP752/EEP753 65.0 66.4 72.3 71.7 58.3 51.1 41.8 Hand capture 6/12/2014 Caretta caretta 9 EEP754/EEP755 54.7 56.2 59.5 58.1 47.9 44.4 Hand capture 6/14/2014 Caretta caretta EEP756/EEP757 59.1 60.6 63.0 60.0 50.8 48.2 29.3 Hand capture

Date Species Note Tag #'s SMCL SSCL CSCL CMCW SMCW SMPL Weight Method (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (kg) 6/15/2014 Caretta caretta 10 EEP758/EEP759 96.7 97.8 105.2 93.2 69.6 75.7 136.8 South net 6/16/2014 Caretta caretta 11 EEP760/EEP761 91.1 92.5 97.9 87.8 70.6 69.5 104.5 South net 6/16/2014 Caretta caretta 12 RCW140616-01 60.4 61.4 64.2 60.8 51.3 49.4 30.9 Hand capture 6/17/2014 Caretta caretta EEP762/EEP763 78.0 80.0 83.0 76.1 60.8 60.5 67.8 South net 6/17/2014 Caretta caretta EEP764/EEP765 59.0 59.9 64.5 65.8 54.8 46.0 32.5 North net 6/19/2014 Caretta caretta 13 EEP766/EEP767 85.7 87.1 93.2 84.9 65.4 64.2 91.6 South net 6/19/2014 Caretta caretta EEP768/EEP769 82.3 83.7 90.9 80.4 64.8 68.4 89.6 South net 6/20/2014 Caretta caretta EEP770/EEP772 83.8 84.5 90.2 82.6 62.2 64.0 84.6 North net 6/21/2014 Caretta caretta 14 EEP773/EEP774 85.5 86.5 93.4 85.0 65.2 64.9 93.5 Hand capture 6/21/2014 Caretta caretta EEP775/EEP776 81.6 82.3 87.3 80.0 63.4 63.7 83.1 Hand capture 6/21/2014 Chelonia mydas EEP777/EEP778 68.3 68.5 73.0 68.6 55.1 56.5 44.5 Hand capture 6/21/2014 Caretta caretta EEP779/EEP780 61.0 61.7 67.1 64.5 53.9 48.2 33.9 Hand capture 6/21/2014 Caretta caretta EEP781/EEP782 64.9 66.3 68.9 67.2 51.9 51.0 40.0 Hand capture 6/21/2014 Caretta caretta 15 EEP783/EEP784 89.4 91.7 96.5 85.7 70.9 69.7 105.1 Hand capture 6/21/2014 Caretta caretta EEP785/EEP786 67.2 68.1 73.2 71.2 56.9 53.1 48.3 Hand capture 6/22/2014 Caretta caretta 16 EEP631/EEP792 57.8 59.3 63.2 62.4 51.5 46.0 30.7 Hand capture 6/22/2014 Caretta caretta EEP787/EEP788 80.1 82.9 87.2 78.3 63.4 64.6 74.7 Hand capture 6/22/2014 Chelonia mydas 17 EEP789 45.9 46.0 48.6 43.8 36.4 38.2 12.8 Hand capture 6/22/2014 Caretta caretta EEP790/EEP791 63.0 64.6 70.1 68.3 53.5 51.1 43.2 Hand capture 6/23/2014 Chelonia mydas 18 EEL522/EEP795 54.2 54.4 57.3 49.4 43.9 45.4 21.3 Hand capture

Date Species Note Tag #'s SMCL SSCL CSCL CMCW SMCW SMPL Weight Method (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (kg) 6/23/2014 Caretta caretta 19 EEP793/EEP794 94.5 95.2 100.7 94.6 74.0 71.9 121.0 Hand capture 6/25/2014 Caretta caretta EEP796/EEP797 65.6 66.9 70.4 71.4 56.3 51.0 42.0 Hand capture 6/25/2014 Caretta caretta EEP798/EEP799 69.0 70.4 75.9 70.8 58.9 54.6 44.4 Hand capture 6/30/2014 Chelonia mydas 20 EEP800 55.9 56.6 59.5 53.1 45.0 46.4 23.8 South net 6/30/2014 Caretta caretta LLA000/LLA001 83.2 84.0 89.7 86.3 67.0 64.6 81.7 North net

NOTES

1. Adult female. Tail length = 150 mm. Partially healed wound in lower tomium (possible hooking wound).

2. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 5/9/13, 11/19/13, 3/2/14 and 6/3/14. Healed shark bite in right side of carapace (arc-shaped piece missing). Turtle also missing 20% of left rear flipper (healed).

3. Adult female. Tail length = 244 mm. Moderate 6cm fresh scrape above left eye.

4. Adult female. Tail length = 223 mm.

5. Adult female. Tail length = 248 mm. Ultrasound revealed shelled eggs. Skull exposed from moderate 3cm fresh scrape to top of head. Healed prop scars in right posterior carapace. Weight not taken (scale broken).

6. PAPILLOMAS (Balazs Tumor Score = 1 {light}, Total Tumor Score = 1). One 1cm tumor on dorsal surface of neck. Sex determined from ultrasound (follicles present, but no shelled eggs). Extensive scar tissue in left axilla (possible mating scar). Scale broken (no weight taken).

7. Adult female. Tail length = 205 mm. Ultrasound revealed shelled eggs and developed follicles. Skull exposed from moderate fresh scrape to top of head (1cm in diameter). Additional deep moderate fresh scrapes on right side of carapace.

8. Adult female. Tail length = 218 mm. Ultrasound revealed shelled eggs.

9. Weight not taken (scale inoperable).

10. Adult female. Tail length = 225 mm.

11. Adult female. Tail length = 262 mm. Turtle missing 80% of left front flipper (healed).

12. REHAB (NON-CAUSAL). Stranding# RCW140616-01. Subadult loggerhead hand captured with healing boat strike wound to posterior carapace. Turtle had prop wound 21cm long x 9cm wide. Posterior scutes of carapace flexible to the touch. Turtle underweight but active. Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission transported the turtle to the Brevard Zoo for rehab.

13. Adult female. Tail length = 225 mm. Ultrasound revealed ovarian follicles. Moderate fresh scrape above right eye and in right anterior carapace.

14. Adult female. Tail length = 210 mm. Ultrasound confirmed the sex (shelled eggs found).

15. Adult female. Tail length = 226 mm. Moderate fresh scrape in anterior surface of head. Mating scar on dorsal surface of neck. Ultrasound revealed shelled eggs.

16. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 4/21/14 and 6/22/14. New Inconel tag #EEP792 inserted in the right front flipper.

17. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 11/16/10 and 6/22/14. Moderate fresh scrape in right anterior carapace (1cm x 3cm, bone exposed).

New Inconel tag inserted in right front flipper.

18. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 11/6/08, 5/18/11, 10/11/11, 6/14/13 and 6/23/14. Moderate fresh scrape on top of head (2.5cm long, skull exposed).

19. Adult female. Tail length = 284 mm. Ultrasound revealed follicles, but no shelled eggs.

20. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on 11/25/08, 11/4/09, 9/12/10, 9/7/11, 10/31/11, 5/30/12, 1/15/13 and 6/30/14. New Inconel tag inserted in left front flipper.

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 Jun- Date Jun- Date Jun- Date Jun- Date Jun- Date Jun- Date Captures 36 163 4 76 0 2 0 0 0 2 40 243 Causal Mortalities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Non-causal Mortalities 0 1 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 Causal Injuries 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sent to rehab 1 6 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 10 Fresh Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Scrapes Jun- Date Jun- Date Jun- Date Jun- Date Jun- Date Jun- Date None 4 27 0 18 0 2 0 0 0 1 4 48 Minor 24 120 2 51 0 0 0 0 0 1 26 172 Moderate 8 16 2 7 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 23 Severe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Percent with mod/sev scrapes 22.2% 9.8% 50.0% 9.2% N/A 0.0% N/A N/A N/A 0.0% 25.0% 9.5%

Injury / Mortality St Lucie Power Plant Causal Turtles 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 **2014 Totals by Species Total Captures 341 538 623 484 419 227 420 260 295 302 232 303 163 4,607 Loggerhead Injuries 0 0 0 1 *3 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 5 Mortalities 0 0 1 0 *21 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 Total Captures 292 394 286 428 267 101 299 161 444 217 127 196 76 3,288 Green Injuries 0 1 0 3 7 0 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 16 Mortalities 2 1 1 1 1 1 2 0 3 1 2 2 0 17 Total Captures 0 4 2 0 1 1 0 1 2 0 2 2 0 15 Leatherback Injuries 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mortalities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Captures 0 2 1 3 3 0 2 0 7 0 0 0 2 20 Kemp's Ridley Injuries 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mortalities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Total Captures 3 6 2 2 2 1 4 2 3 2 1 2 2 32 Hawksbill Injuries 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Mortalities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Injury & Mortality Yearly Totals 2 2 2 5 32 1 5 3 5 1 3 3 0 64 Total Captures per Year 636 944 914 917 692 330 725 424 751 521 362 503 243 7,962

• The loggerhead causal injuries and mortalities in 2006 were all hatchlings.

• • 2014 is a partial year.