ML17009A346

NRR E-mail Capture - (External_Sender) December 2016 FPL Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Report

ML17009A346
Person / Time
Site:	Saint Lucie
Issue date:	01/05/2017
From:	Weege S - No Known Affiliation
To:	Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation
References
Download: ML17009A346 (8)

Text

NRR-PMDAPEm Resource From: Steve Weege <steveweege@gmail.com>

Sent: Thursday, January 05, 2017 9:23 AM To: Meghan Koperski Cc: Ed Hollowell; Jodie Gless; John Jones; Ken Frehafer; Marine Turtle Permit; Michael Bresette; EndangeredSpecies Resource; SCO@dep.state.fl.us; Vince Munne; Cody Mott; Jeff Guertin; Ryan Welsh; debbie.spring@noaa.gov; Kristin.Eaton@fpl.com; Jonathan Gorham; Terri.Taylor@fpl.com

Subject:

[External_Sender] December 2016 FPL Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Report Attachments: December 2016 Marine Turtle Captures.pdf; Monthly Report Notes 2016.pdf; FPL St Lucie Capture Summary 2016.pdf; Power Plant Causal Turtles.pdf Mrs. Meghan Koperski Tequesta Field Laboratory 19100 SE Federal Highway Tequesta, FL 33469

Subject:

Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Summary December 2016

Dear Meghan,

Attached, please find the monthly summary of marine turtle removals for December 2016. This month, we captured ten (10) Caretta caretta and four (4) Chelonia mydas in the intake canal of the St. Lucie power plant on Hutchinson Island. Only one sea turtle was sent for rehabilitation and there were no mortalities recorded during the month of December. 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.

There was one loggerhead sea turtle sent for rehabilitation for non-causal injuries this month. On December 27th, an emaciated and lethargic subadult loggerhead was removed from the permanent 5-inch barrier net.

There were healing prop wounds across the carapace and the turtle had extensive shark bite injuries. After consultation with FWC, Inwater Research Group biologists transported the turtle partway to the Gumbo Limbo Nature Center in Boca Raton for rehabilitation. This stranding was considered non-causal.

Throughout the month, the permanent 5-inch barrier net experienced negligible loads of algae and jellyfish that entered into the intake canal system. Overall, the barrier net has performed as designed and no turtles have been observed beyond the 5-inch net.

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 2016. In addition, this spreadsheet 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 2003.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

Sincerely, 1

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: 3247 Mail Envelope Properties (CAJrYmh-Pn3TKcpcsWYgaALaA_gdCSHf7VX=RGwMwq6CHKdViXA)

Subject:

[External_Sender] December 2016 FPL Marine Turtle Removal Monthly Report Sent Date: 1/5/2017 9:22:38 AM Received Date: 1/5/2017 9:22:54 AM From: Steve Weege Created By: steveweege@gmail.com Recipients:

"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 "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 "debbie.spring@noaa.gov" <debbie.spring@noaa.gov>

Tracking Status: None "Kristin.Eaton@fpl.com" <Kristin.Eaton@fpl.com>

Tracking Status: None "Jonathan Gorham" <jgorham@inwater.org>

Tracking Status: None "Terri.Taylor@fpl.com" <Terri.Taylor@fpl.com>

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

Tracking Status: None Post Office: mail.gmail.com Files Size Date & Time MESSAGE 2350 1/5/2017 9:22:54 AM December 2016 Marine Turtle Captures.pdf 74031 Monthly Report Notes 2016.pdf 57617

FPL St Lucie Capture Summary 2016.pdf 79460 Power Plant Causal Turtles.pdf 89149 Options Priority: Standard Return Notification: No Reply Requested: No Sensitivity: Normal Expiration Date:

Recipients Received:

MARINE TURTLE REMOVALS ST. LUCIE PLANT INTAKE CANAL DECEMBER 2016 Date Species Note Tag #'s SMCL SSCL CSCL CMCW SMCW SMPL Weight Method (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (cm) (kg) 12/1/2016 Chelonia mydas 1 LLP337/LLP338 56.2 56.4 59.0 51.4 43.6 48.9 25.6 South net 12/7/2016 Caretta caretta MMA698/MMA699 67.3 68.5 72.7 71.7 60.1 52.9 50.8 South net 12/7/2016 Chelonia mydas 2 MMA700/MMA701 65.9 66.9 69.7 63.5 51.8 55.6 39.5 Hand capture 12/12/2016 Chelonia mydas 3 MMA702/MMA703 53.6 53.8 57.0 52.4 42.4 43.8 20.2 North net 12/15/2016 Chelonia mydas MMA704/MMA705 37.5 38.5 39.5 34.4 30.6 31.3 6.0 North net 12/15/2016 Caretta caretta 4 MMA706/MMA707 69.2 70.9 75.5 71.6 58.7 54.9 47.9 North net 12/18/2016 Caretta caretta 5 MMA708/MMA709 72.5 73.1 75.0 71.6 58.4 54.6 53.9 North net 12/22/2016 Caretta caretta MMA710/MMA711 66.6 68.0 72.5 67.5 56.4 51.6 39.8 North net 12/27/2016 Caretta caretta 6 JRG161227-01 67.9 68.7 75.5 69.8 58.6 34.8 Barrier net 12/29/2016 Caretta caretta MMA712/MMA713 75.4 76.5 83.7 76.1 61.7 59.1 70.2 North net 12/29/2016 Caretta caretta MMA714/MMA715 63.6 65.1 68.5 61.2 54.8 50.5 36.7 North net 12/29/2016 Caretta caretta MMA718/MMA719 59.6 60.3 64.2 60.6 50.5 46.9 29.5 North net 12/30/2016 Caretta caretta MMA716/MMA717 65.8 67.4 70.9 67.1 57.2 52.0 39.1 North net 12/31/2016 Caretta caretta MMA720/MMA721 64.7 66.2 69.7 67.4 55.2 50.6 39.7 North net

NOTES

1. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on from 9/18/11, 4/26/12, 7/7/12, 1/30/13, 5/13/13, 11/14/13, 12/16/13, 7/15/14, 9/12/14, 1/23/15, 3/12/15, 4/14/15, 7/16/15, 12/15/15, 2/21/16 and 12/1/16.

2. Held for FPL Turtle Excluder Device testing (new protocol, turtle #1 was kept three days). Old shark bite in left anterior carapace (arc-shaped bite mark visible on shell).

3. RECAPTURE. Turtle was removed from the intake canal, tagged and released at Hutchinson Island on from 4/2/12, 10/28/12, 3/17/15 and 12/12/15. Held for FPL Turtle Excluder Device testing (new protocol, turtle #2 was kept three days).

4. Held for FPL Turtle Excluder Device testing (new protocol, turtle #3 was kept three days)

5. Turtle was held for tank testing but water quality was poor so it was released on 12/19/2016. Partially healed hooking wound on ventral side of right front flipper.

6. REHAB (NON-CAUSAL). Stranding# JRG161227-01. Emaciated and lethargic subadult loggerhead removed from the permanent 5-inch barrier net. Healing prop wounds across carapace and extensive shark bite injuries. Healing shark bite in right posterior carapace (arc-shaped piece missing from carapace and most of right rear flipper bitten off). Ventral measurements not taken due to injuries.

After consultation with FWC, Inwater Research Group biologists transported the turtle partway to Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, Boca Raton for rehab.

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 Dec-16 Date Dec-16 Date Dec-16 Date Dec-16 Date Dec-16 Date Dec-16 Date Captures 10 316 4 159 0 4 0 1 0 6 14 486 Causal Mortalities 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 Non-Causal Mortalities 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 8 Causal Injuries 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Sent to Rehab 1 17 0 6 0 1 0 0 0 2 1 26 Fresh Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Year to Scrapes Dec-16 Date Dec-16 Date Dec-16 Date Dec-16 Date Dec-16 Date Dec-16 Date None 1 43 0 29 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 73 Minor 8 248 4 113 0 3 0 0 0 6 12 370 Moderate 1 25 0 17 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 43 Severe 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Percent with Mod/Sev Scrapes 10.0% 7.9% 0.0% 10.7% N/A 0.0% N/A 100.0% N/A 0.0% 7.1% 8.8%

Injury/MortalityTotals

StLuciePowerPlantCausalTurtles 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 bySpecies TotalCaptures 538 623 484 419 227 420 260 295 302 232 302 275 274 316 4,967 Loggerhead Injuries 0 0 1 *3 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 5 Mortalities 0 1 0 *21 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 TotalCaptures 394 286 428 267 101 299 161 444 217 127 197 134 181 159 3,395 Green Injuries 1 0 3 7 0 2 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 16 Mortalities 1 1 1 1 1 2 0 3 1 2 2 0 4 0 19 TotalCaptures 4 2 0 1 1 0 1 2 0 2 2 0 2 1 18 Leatherback Injuries 0 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 0 TotalCaptures 2 1 3 3 0 2 0 7 0 0 0 2 7 6 33 Kemp'sRidley Injuries 0 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 0 TotalCaptures 6 2 2 2 1 4 2 3 2 1 2 3 1 4 35 Hawksbill Injuries 0 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 0 Injury&MortalityYearlyTotals 2 2 5 32 1 5 3 5 1 3 3 0 4 1 67 TotalCapturesperYear 944 914 917 692 330 725 424 751 521 362 503 414 465 486 8,448

• Theloggerheadcausalinjuriesandmortalitiesin2006wereallhatchlings.