ML102380332

St. Lucie Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Summary for March 2009

ML102380332
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	04/08/2009
From:	Bresette M J Florida Power & Light Co
To:	Foster S M, Gless J, Hoffman B J, Hollowell E, Koperski M, Logan D, Munne V, Niebch D, Norton S, Perkins W A Florida Power & Light Co, Division of License Renewal, US Dept of Commerce, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
References
Download: ML102380332 (7)

Text

1 Balsam, Briana From: Michael_Bresette@fpl.com Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 12:04 PM To: Meghan.Koperski@MyFWC.com Cc: Logan, Dennis; Ed_Hollowell@fpl.com; S helley.Norton@noaa.gov; Vince_Munne@fpl.com; Winifred.Perkins@fpl.com; Bob.Ho ffman@noaa.gov; Stacy.Foster@fpl.com; David.Niebch@fpl.com; Jodie.Gless@fpl.com

Subject:

March Sea Turtle captures Attachments:

St. Lucie caps 2009.xls; March09.pdf Mrs. Meghan Koperski Tequesta Field Laboratory 19100 SE Federal Highway Tequesta, FL 33469

Subject:

Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Summary March 2009

Dear Meghan,

Attached, please find the monthly summary of marine turtle removals for March 2009. In March, we captured thirty one (31) Caretta caretta and twenty three (23)

Chelonia mydas at the intake canal of the St. Lucie power plant on South Hutchinson Island. On March 9, a lethargic juvenile green turtle with fibropapillomas was found at the top of the primary barrier net and was transported to the Mote Marine Lab for rehabilitation after consul tation with personnel from FWCC. On March 13, a loggerhead with deep, healing propeller wounds was captured and transported to the Marinelife Center in J uno Beach after consultation with personnel from FWCC. Both of these incidents were not considered caus al to power plant operation. On March 23, a loggerhead was found at the top of the barrier net with several healing wounds from a possible boat hit. This turtle also sustained a fresh, deep cut behind the left eye and a skull fracture to the left dorsal side of the head as a result of entrainment through the intake pipe. The turtle was transported to the Marinelife Center after consultation with personnel from FWCC and this injury was considered causal to power plant operation.

There was one mortality recorded at the inta ke canal in March. On March 23, during hand capture efforts by snorkelers a moderately decomposed loggerhead was found on the bottom of the canal, halfway bet ween the headwall and primary barrier net.

This turtle was not buried and was likely entrained into the canal in the moribund state it was found. This tu rtle was extremely emaciat ed with a heavy epibiont load. Because this turtle was found in the middle of the canal, we believe that it must have come in shortly before hand captur e efforts began. If this turtle had been undetected it would have ended up on the barrier net within a couple of hours due to the strong currents in the canal. After cons ultation with personnel from FWCC, this 2 mortality was not considered c ausal to power plant operati on. All other turtles that were captured in March were rel eased on the same day of capture.

Throughout the month of March the primar y barrier net experienced heavy loads of algae that threatened its integrity. Divers were deployed to clean the nets during five days in March to restore the net to original design specifications.

Tag numbers and morphmetric data for all tu rtles are attached.

Also, attached is a spreadsheet of all captures, mortalities, injuries and causal events delineated by species and month for 2009. This spre adsheet 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 enclos ed data please contact me at your convenience.

Sincerely, Michael J. Bresette Sr. Environmental Specialist Quantum Resources, Inc.

(See attached file: St. Lucie caps 2009.xls)(See attach ed file: March09.pdf)

Mar-08 Year to DateMar-08 Year to DateMar-08 Year to DateMar-08 Year to DateMar-08 Year to DateMar-08 Year to DateCaptures31 66 23 61 0 0 0 0 0 054127 Causal Mortalities 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 00 Non-causal Mortalities 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 Causal Injuries 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 Sent to rehab 2 4 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 36 Fresh ScrapesMar-08 Year to DateMar-08 Year to DateMar-08 Year to DateMar-08 Year to DateMar-08 Year to DateMar-08 Year to Date None4412000000 5 6 Minor15421941000000 34 83 Moderate1018317000000 13 35 Severe2201000000 2 3 Percent with mod/sev scrapes38.7%30.3%13.0%29.5%#DIV/0!#DIV/0!0.0%0.0%#DIV/0!0.0%27.8%29.9%LoggerheadsGreen turtles (Caretta caretta)(Chelonia mydas)Overall Totals Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii)(Eretmochelys imbricata)(Dermochelys coriacea)HawksbillsLeatherbacks