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Enclosure to RA-12-124

Annual Report of Sea Turtle Incidental Takes - 2012

Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station

Renewed Facility Operating License No. DPR- 16

Docket No. 50-219

Prepared by:Malcolm Browne, Senior Environmental Scientist

Kathryn Voishnis, Associate Environmental ScientistJames Kerr, Senior Regulatory Specialist

Exelon Generation

December 2012

Enclosure to RA-12-124Page 2 of 4

........... ............ .. S.

Introduction . . "-.- : 'm-', . .. .

The Annual Report'of Sea Turtle Incidental Takes provides a summa-y of the incidental takes ofall species of sea tu iles et the Oyster Creek Nuclear-Generating Station (OCNGS) during thepast year. The report is required by Terms and Conditons (T&C) # 8 of the Incidental TakeStatement (ITS) of the OCNGSEndangered SpeciesAct Section:7 Consultation Biological., .Opinion'. This report covers all incidental takes and sightings of sea turtles thatoccurred during20 12 . • ' ' ' : - .. . . ..- .: . " •J .

Incidental Take ýReports documentitig the ciicumstances of incidental: takes-of sea turtles werecompleted~followdng.lye (5) OCNGS sea turtle .incidental takes during 2012 and were providedto the National Makine Fisl ieries S'ervice (NMFS) and the US& Nuclear Regulatory Commission.(USNRC) Within 30 days of cLoch incidental take. Sea Turtle Incidental Take Repcrts 2012-1though 2012-5 are summarized in Attachment 1. PhotoG;raphs of the five turtles, as well as thenecropsy report' for the one dead sea turtle incidentally taken during the year, have already.been supplied with the individual reports-aix thcrOfore are not incLduad in thisreport. ;b

Take . . Incidental Take Date I Time.(condition and' species) . ,.(I K'........................ey

2012-1- Friday, June 15, 2012/11500 'Lii juvenile .,emp's ridley)L " -' ,*...2012-2 - Monday, Juiy 3".2012/ -1310 (Lbe=.d jVnile Kem,,p's didley) .. , ., ...

2012-3 Frida~y.!J uly 20,20121 213U (LiVe'juv-nriloe Kemrnp's hdliy)-."2012-4 'Wednesday, July 25, 20i2/ 1'1P45•(ive'juvenile'Kemlrs-ridley)2012-5 ":Thursday, September 27, 20',1"2••l'G 19(LiUeAtlantic green)Sightinc ' - Sea Turtle Sighting Date/Time

2012-SI Tuesday, July 24, 2012/2000 (Species unknoWn) ... .

A sea turtle was sighted during the evening of Tuesday, July 24, 2012 near theiCirculating'-Water System intake. The sighting was reported to NMFS and action was~taken to increase thefrequency of sea turtle observations at the intakes, but no incidental takeoccurned on that date.The species of the turtle sighted July 24 was not identified, so it is uncertain whether it mayhave been the same turtle taken at the Dilution Water intake on July 25, 2012.

Comparison 'of Annual Sea Turtle Incidental Takes With Prior Yeaes

Regarding trendslin the number of incidental sea t6irtle takes at the OCNGS, a total of five (5)sea turtle incidental takes Occurred during 2012. All but one (1) of the sea turtles incidentallytaken at OCNGS during 2012 were alive and in good condition when incidentally taken andwere subsequently releasedafter they were confirmed to be feedhig'well;afid moving about -normally.' The only sea turtle that was not alive when incidentally taken',t the OCNGS was-partially decomposed when -taken and the necropsies cornducted on them' were4 bt conclusiveas to whether fhey we'reilikely to have'di6d prior-to arriving at7OCNOS.

The five (5) OCNGS incidenital takes during 2012 -i slightly greater than the Io'fg--ti•n averageof approximately three incidental takes per year recorded over the last twenty years. However,the annual abun dance of sea turtles in this'vicinityappears to be highly variable, uripr~dictable,

Enclosure to RA-12-124Page 3 of 4

and unrelated to the operation of OCNGS. There are several factors that may influence thenumber of sea turtle incidental takes that occur at the OCNGS. Bamegat Inlet, the only tidalinlet in the vicinity of Oyster Creek, which provides access to Barnegat Bay from the AtlanticOcean, was deepened during dredging operations in the early 1990s. Completion of the"Barnegat Inlet dredging~operation resulted in-an increase inthe tidal prism, or volume of waterentering: and exiting the inlet on a, singletidaLcycle; aswell as a slightly greater tidal range atOyster Creek. The deepening of Barnegat Inlet and associated waterway channels was ..,completed immediately prior tO 1992, when incidental takes of sea turtles began to occur atOCNGS, and may partially explain the occurrenceof-the-turtles. Increased regulatory protectionof sea turtles under the Endangered Species Act also began in the eady 1990's.

Physical factors, such.:as an oceanic front oran:oceanio,eddy occurring unusually close toBamegat Inlet, may alsO play a part inthe prevalence of sea turtles near.Oyster Creek tbecauseoceanic fronts have been shown to be used as a migratQry and forage habitat by sea turtles(Polovina et al, 2000). Experience has alsQ shown.that.the passago of a severe storm or.pressure system near Barnegat- Inlet cart cause major increases in winds, waves, tides and tidalprism in shallow estuarine waters such as Barnegat Bay. These events could increase thelikelihood of slowly swimming organisms guch as sea turtles occurring in the estuary. It is likelythat the local variability of sea turtle abundance is also related to biological factors including theabundance of organisms on.which sea turtles .prefer to feed, including crabs such as blue crabs,horseshoe crabs, and calico crabs, as well as spbn~ies and various types of algae. The slightlyhigher than average number of incidciptal~ker -,; 2,012 -may have been an anomaly based onfavorable physical conditions or prey abundant= tHowpver, -anr analysis of the number of,incidental takes at OCNGS indicates that there bhsqbeen a gradual incrqease in the averageannual number of incidental takes in recent yeas. in, compansorl to the previous decade. Forexample, a total of twenty sea turtle incidental takes occurred at OCNGS-between 1992 and2001 (an average of two takes per year) but 61 incidental takes occurred between 2002 and2012 (an average of over five takes per year).. This recent trend of increasing OCNGSincidental takes parallels a similar trend of generally increasing sea turtle strandings reportedduring that period by the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network (STSSN) along the Atlanticcoast The conduct of operations at the OCNGS intakes has not been changed in any mannerthat would explain the recent increase in takes.. However, theincrease may. reflect the long-term success, of turtl-3 legislative protection and conservation measures such as Turtle ExcluderDevice (TED) imnplementation, nest and egg protectiop at sea turtle nesting sites, and turtlehead-starting programs.

The massive oil plume released into the Guff of Mexico during 2010 following the fire on theDeepwater Horizon offshore, drilling rig may also have a future effect on the number of seaturtles incidentally taken at OCNGS. Although the Deepwater Horizon'oil plume Was probablynot an important factor in 2012,,it remains to be seen whether it may ultimately slow the generaltrend of increasing numbers of Atlantic coast sea turtle sightings and incidental takes.

Many years of environmental.sampling co.nducted near OCNG6 have repeatedly demonstratedthat the abundance of various marine organisms, can vary considerably from yearto year, oftenby orders of magnitude. This is particularly true for seasonal rmigrants, whose abundance inBamegat Bay is highly dependent upon physical andbiological factors along the migratoryroute. Therefore, the observed annual variation in sea turtle incidental takes at OCNGS from aminimum of zero to a maximum of. eleven per year is not considered particularly significant.

In.the. morst:rent OCNGS g iaLion.an.d ITS, issued in November 2011, NMFS

Enclosure to RA-12-124Page 4 of 4

determined that no more than 71 Kemp's ridley sea turtles, 6 loggerhead sea turtles, and 11Atlantic green sea turtles are likely to be directly affected by interaction with OCNGS during theremainder of the OCNGS operating license (i.e., through 2029). The five (5) incidental takes ofsea turtles during 2012 at the OCNGS represent the initial sea turtle incidental takes underthese new ITS conditions. In subsequent annual reports, OCNGS will determine and report thecumulative number of post-2011 incidental takes for comparison with the allowable speciestotals during the remainder of the OCNGS operating license. There was only one incidentaltake of a dead sea turtle at the OCNGS during 2012 (the Kemp's ridley juvenile incidentallytaken July 9, 2012). The necropsy of that turtle by Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC)in Brigantine, New Jersey was inconclusive as to the cause of death, so it was uncertainwhether its death resulted from interaction with OCNGS.

OCNGS expects ongoing support from the MMSC for both transfers of live sea turtles forrehabilitation and as the primary facility for necropsies. OCNGS has noted the exceptional pastefforts by the dedicated and capable MMSC staff in the care and rehabilitation of sea turtlestransferred to the Brigantine facility, and that exceptional level of care was again apparentduring 2012. MMSC also arranged for the transfer of one of the sea turtles incidentally taken atOCNGS during 2012 to the Virginia Aquarium and Marine Science Center and two others to theNational Aquarium for rehabilitation and subsequent release to the wild.

The ultimate goal of the considerable effort b-ing' put forward at OCNGS for the protection ofsea turtles is to protect the turtles that do arrive at the plant, and to release as many turtles aspossible to safety. The OCNGS program nifor the prteqtion of threatened and endangered seaturtles can be considered to be'quite successful due to the efforts of OCNGS and MMSCpersonnel because most of the sea turtles incidentally captured at OCNGS since 1992 (withsome in distress prior to being taken) have subsequently been rehabilitated and released aliveand well to the Atlantic Ocean in locations free from potential cold-shock.

References

Polovina, J.J., D.R. Kobayashi, D.M. Ellis, M.P. Seki, and G.H. Balazs. 2000. Turtles on theedge: Movement of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) along oceanic fronts in the central NorthPacific, 1997-1998. Fish. Oceanogr., 9: 71-82.

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EnrIo3ure to RAI,12-124

ATTACHMENTI

"2012.incidentIa,'ke.,eports :7• , .. ; .. i t. h, ,• • , - r , *. a j ):- .

., , , • • , . -• '• .,• . .. . .. . . .

Pt

Attachment I to RA-12-124, Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Annual Sea Turtle Incidental Take Report - 2012

Incidental Take 2012-1 Incidental Take 2012-2 Incidental Take 2012-3

Observer's full name: Colin Wade Douglass Hufford John DevenneyReporter's full name: John Clark Brian Eagan Eric SwainSpecies Identification (Key Kemp's Ridley Kemp's Ridley Kemp's Ridleyattached): ,,.Site of Impingement (CWS or DWS DWSDW S): ___ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

BayNumber-.1 1 2 : 3Date animal observed: 15-Jun-12 9-Jul-12 20-Jul-12Time animal observed: 14:58 - 13:09 21:30Date animal collected: 15-Jun-12 9-Ju1-12 20-Ju1-12Time animal collected: 15:00 13_10 21:30

,Tidal Stage: Low Tide Outgoing Tide Incoming TideCloud conditions: Clear Sunny Cloud-Precipitation: None None Raining

Iniake water temperature:-- 73.0°F / 22.8 0C 82.0°F 1 27.80C 75.2°F /240°C ....

Other conditions None Reported None Reported . Heavy grassNumber of CW pumps running: 4 4 __4__.

Number of DW pumps running: 2 2 .2 .Reactor power level atobservation: • 100% 100% 100%Reactor power previous 48-hours; 100% 100%..10 .

hours: _100____________

Date of last screen inspeiction: 15-Jun-12 9-Jul-12 20-Jul-12Time of last screen inspection: 12:10 12:30........ 20:00-

Date of iast trash raking: 14-Jun-12 9-Jul-12 20-Jul_12

Time of I'ast trash raking: 15:45-16:24 9:30 20:57

ATTACHMENT 1 - Page o' 0f6

Attachment I to RA-12-124, Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Annual Sea Turtle Incidental Take Report - 2012

Incidental Take 2012-1 Incidental Take 2012-2 Incidental Take 2012-3ENVIRF

ate Bqigantine MMSC 15-Jun-12 9-Jul-12 20-Ju1-12contacted:

Timre Brigantine MMSC 1contacted: 15:42 13:45 22_1__

Date Anima~l .... picked up by ._ ., .. 15-Jun-12 9-juJl'-'2 .. 20-Juli12

Dme Animal picked up byTMeC A a 17:00 18:00 23:30

Alive and active with smallState of animal when first Dead with minor scrapes-and scrae and a smallobs'rved Alive ... scrapes and a small barnacleobserved abrasions

on the carapace

tate6bf animnal when collected: Alive Dead Alive

State of animal when picked up: Alive Dead Alive

stateaof animal arriving at Alive Dead AliveMMISC:...AieDaAlv

ATTACHMENT 1 - Page 2 of 6

Attachment I to RA-1 2-124, Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Annual Sea Turtle Incidental Take Report - 2012

_ Incidental Take 2012-1 Incidental Take 2012-2 Incidental Take 2012-3

Taken to Virginia Marine Alive and released in

Final dispositlon of animal: Science Center for Buried at Brigantine;NJ - Brigantine, NJ, not tagged, due to the turtle's size, as per

.rehabilitation. NERO tagging protocol.

Carapace Length - Curved 31 cm 27.3 cm 24 cmCarapa•e1:6ngth -Straight 28.9 cm 25.1 cm 23.2 cmCarapace Width - Curved: 29.3 cm 27.9 cm 24.5 cmCarapace Width - Straight: 25.6 cm 23.7 cm 21.2 cmWeight l Ibs (kgs) 7.2 lbs (3.3 kg) 11.2 lbs (5.1 kg) 3.8 lbs (1.7 kg)Existing Tag Number None None NoneP6i6tpgraph attached Yes Yes YesDiagram of wounds,abnormalities,, tag locations Yes No Yesattached_•

Juvenile, jndetermrinant sex.Alert and active upon arrival to,MMSC. There were small

D.scription of Animal circle lesions on the turtle's Female Juvenille.Kemp's Juvenile, Kemp's ridley seaskin and a few abrasions on Ridley sea turtle . turtle of indeterminant sexcarapace. There was bruising

" and abrasions on the plastron.from being impinged. _ _-_"_--

All information sent to:National Marine FisheriesService, Northeast Region;Protected Resources Division; Yes Yes YesAttention: EndangeredSpeciesCoordinator; One BlackburnDiNve: Gloucester, MA 01930

ATTACHMENT 1 `Paige:j of 6

Attachment I to RA-1 2-124, Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station"Annual Sea Turtle Incidental Take Report - 2012

Incidental Take 2012-4 Incidental Take 2012-5

Observers full name: Baonguyen Nguyen Peeter MustReportei's-full name: .. . Andrew Zuchowski Andrew ZuchowskiSpeciesIdentification (Key

ttach~ed ... Kemp's Ridley Atlantic Green

Site of Impingement (CWS 6r DWS DWSDWS): i'"`.-Bay Number: 3 4Date animal observed: 25-Jul-12 27-Sep-12Tirfieanimal observed: 17:45 10:09Date animal collected: _.. __._25-Ju1-1_2 27-Sep-1 2Time animal collected: 17:45 10:19C ,j. - &.

Tidal Stage: Outgoing Tide. High:Tide,_,..Cloud conditions: Clear.- . CloudyPrecipitation: None.- NoneIntake water temperature: 81.1 F / 27.3 C 72.1 F /22.3 COther conditions None Light WindNlumber of CW pUrmps running: 4 4.,Nurmber of DW pumps running: 2 2R.ecator power level at .% 100%observation: .... _100%._.. . .Reactor power previous 48-

Daft-6t last screen inspectibn: 25-Jul-12 26-Sep-12 -. .TiMe-0flast sc-een inspection: 16:20 .4:47

22-Jul-12 (OCNGS and DWSDate of last trash raking: hot operational-23-Jul-12 and .. 26-Sep-12

__ajority of 24-Jul-12)Time of last trash raking: . - . 18:Q0 . . - 14:40, * :~..

ATTACHMENT 1 - Page 4 of 6

Attachment I to RA-12-124, Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Annual Sea Turtle Incidental Take Report - 2012

Incidental Take 2012-4 Incidental Take 2012-5

Date Brigantine MMSC 25-Jul-12 27-Sep-12contacted:Time Brigantine MMSC .1931contacted:-.

Date Animal picked up by 25-Jul-12 27-Sep-12MMSC:Time Animal picked up by 21:00 11:57MMSC:

Alive, alert and active. Two Alive, alert and active. SeveralState of animal when first small scrapes middle of small barnacles on carapace.observed: carapace. Two larger parallel Small scrapes on plastron.

scrapes on plastron.

Alive,'alert and active. Two -smveallscraps acile. Tof Alive, alert and active. Several

State of animal when collected: small scrapes middle of small barnacles on carapace.carapace. Two larger parallel Small scrapes on plastron.scrapes on plastron.

Alive, alert and active. Two Alive, alert and active. Several

State of animal when picked up: small scrapes middle of small barnacles on carapace.carapace. Two larger parallel small scrapes onpcaran.

_ _ _ _ scrapes on plastron. Small scrapesonplastron.-

...... ... .. Alive, alert and active. Two liveState of animal arriving-at small scrapes middle of arnacles on carapace. SmallMMSc: . carapace. Two larger parallel bscrapes on plastron. "

' scrapes on plastron. I

Z. I

AT•ACHMENT 1- Page 5 of 6

'A

Attachment I to RA-12-124, Oyster Creek Nuclear Generating Station Annual Sea Turtle Incidental Take Report - 2012

I Incidental Take 2012-4 1 Incidental Take 2012-5

live and transferred to Alive and transferred toBaltimore Aquarium Animal Baltimore Aquarium AnimalRescue Program for long term Rescue Program forrehabilitation. rehabilitation and release.

Carapace Length - Curved 28.7 cm 31.5 cmCarapace Length - Straight 27.5 cm - 30.6 cm

Carapace Width - Curved: 29.3 cm . 27.1. cmCarapace Width - Straight: 24.9 cm 25;6 cmWeight - lbs (kgs) 7.0 lbs (3.2 kg), 8.0 lbs (3.6 kg)' -

Existing-Tag Number No tag No tagPhotograph attached Yes . YesDiagram, of wounds,

;abnormalities, tag locations Yes : Yes:attache (d ' _" _. .... -_,__ ,,__. _. _",

- , , ,>... _ ,.

Juvenile Kemp's ridley sea Juvenile Green sea turtle, sexturtle, sex undetermin&d undetermined -.... .

All information sent'to: -

National Marine Fisheries !

Setvice, Northeast Region; -. .Protected Resources Division; Yes YesAttention: Endangered SpeciesCoordinator;-One Blackburn

Drive; Gloucester, MA.01 930

:,..,.° ..

ATTACHMENT 1 - Page 6 of 6