San Diego Sea Turtles

Turning Off the Heat: Impacts of Power Plant Decomissioning on Green Turtle Research in San Diego Bay

2011-12-28T14:49:00.000-08:00

A paper by myself and Dr. Seminoff discusses some of the collective work of NOAA scientists during my master's program at Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation and may now be accessed online in Coastal Management Journal.

Abstract:
Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) are among the most high profile species in San DiegoBay, California, and understanding impacts of coastal development and industry isessential to the management and conservation of this local population. Here we describepower plant changing energy production and its impact on turtle habitat use andour ability to research and manage this population. For over 20 years, green seaturtles have been captured, assessed, and tagged near the South Bay Power Plant(SBPP) in the San Diego Bay; from 2002–2011, 104 turtles were captured on 212occasions. As the 50-year-old SBPP generates less energy, effluent patterns change andwater temperatures decrease, presumably to more natural conditions. There has beena concurrent decrease in turtle-capture success, perhaps due to lesser visitation to theeffluent site where nets are tended. Seasonal catch-per-unit-effort declined from a highof 4.14 turtles per monitoring day, to a nine-year low of 1.33 during the 2010–2011season. It is already apparent that management decisions related to energy policy areaffecting the habitat and behavior of this stock of endangered turtles. Green turtlesare expected to remain in the San Diego Bay after the SBPP becomes inoperative andcontinuing research will monitor future impacts and distribution shifts resulting fromthe expected changes in thermal pattern within south San Diego Bay. Research effortsto study this population (i.e., capture methods and locations) will require modificationin response to these changes. Lessons learned here are applicable to the immediatecoastal development of San Diego, as well as at similar interactions between marineturtles and industrial thermal effluent discharge throughout Southern California, theUnited States, and beyond.

Cooperative Efforts to Reduce Sea Turtle Bycatch

2011-11-01T09:20:00.000-07:00

My research is made possible through many partnerships - as is typically the case when working with long-lived and migrating animals like sea turtles. One group I partner with is Grupo Tortuguero, a community-based conservation and research program based in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. While green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) is one species common to the Pacific waters off of Baja's coast, another species of sea turtles is even more common to see - the loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta). The loggerhead turtles in the Pacific Ocean feed off the the Mexican coast, where they eat pelagic red crabs, and other benthic (bottom dwelling) invertebrates. Yet these loggerheads do not nest along the Mexican coast, instead, most of them come all the way across the Pacific Ocean from their nesting grounds in Japan!

Grupo Tortuguero has collaborated with fishermen in Mexico, as well as fishermen in Japan, to help find creative ways to reduce the number of marine turtles captured in their fishing nets and lines. Finding a solution to this problem not only protects the turtles, but it can help the fishermen make more money, by not loosing fishing gear to tangled turtles, and by not wasting time having to remove turtles from their nets and lines. So this cooperative is a win-win for all parties involved.

This short video shows a new turtle-release method being tested and demonstrated at a recent meeting in Japan. (Note on the end - those surface lines appear to be in place for the sake of this test at the aquarium...) Enjoy!

Injured San Diego Turtle is Being Released!

2011-10-25T16:05:00.000-07:00

If you recall back in February, NOAA researchers captured an adult male green sea turtle during one of our regular monitoring days, and noticed the turtle was not in good condition. That day the turtle was taken to receive medical attention at SeaWorld, where the turtle was dubbed "Bruce" as his recovery began.

Today, several news sources reported that Bruce will be returned to the San Diego Bay today! He has apparently recovered from his multiple injuries and severe dehydration, and has bulked up to a respectable 300 pounds.

Here are some of the brief articles sharing this great news!

With any luck, I'll get to see Bruce again this year, as NOAA's monitoring in the South Bay will begin in the coming weeks. I'll keep you posted!

(This one from the LA Times has a great picture of Bruce!)

Green sea turtle once near death will be returned to San Diego Bay
Los Angeles Times
Bruce, the Pacific green sea turtle found close to death with gunshot wounds to his neck in January, is set to be returned to San Diego Bay on Tuesday. ...

Bruce the turtle ready to return to San Diego Bay
San Jose Mercury News
AP SAN DIEGO—A Pacific green sea turtle that was found near-dead of gunshot ... that Bruce the turtle is ready to be returned to San Diego Bay on Tuesday. ...

Recuperated Sea Turtle Returns to Ocean
NBC San Diego
By Sarah Grieco A sea turtle named "Bruce" by SeaWorld staff was found in San Diego Bay shot four times in the neck in February 2011. ...

Bruce The Sea Turtle Released To San Diego Bay
KPBS
Bruce the green sea turtle will be released into San Diego Bay today after undergoing nine months of veterinary care at SeaWorld San Diego. ...

Bruce the Turtle Ready to Return to San Diego Bay
KOLO
The Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/vjdtlm) reports that Bruce the turtle is ready to be returned to San Diego Bay on Tuesday. At Sea World, Bruce has ...

Bruce the turtle ready to return to San Diego Bay
Ventura County Star
AP SAN DIEGO — SAN DIEGO (AP) - A Pacific green sea turtle that was found ... that Bruce the turtle is ready to be returned to San Diego Bay on Tuesday. ...

Let the research begin!

2011-09-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

Well, two years after graduating from UCSD's Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Marine Biodiversity and Conservation masters program, I'm back in school.

Now it's a PhD program at UCSD, in the Biological Sciences' Ecology, Behavior and Evolution (EBE) department. Over the next five years, my research will still be focused on the incredible reptiles which come and visit us in San Diego - our green sea turtles! But now, I will be studying the population of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) which reside not only here in San Diego's Bay, but throughout their entire geographic range in the Eastern Pacific from Los Angeles to Central Mexico.

My research will aim to help answer some very important questions about these animals - seemingly simple things - like how old are the turtles when they are in the open ocean? how old are they when they settle closer to the coast? can we make a more refined connection between the age of a turtle and its size? do some turtles stay in the open ocean and never move in close to the coast? is there an impact over time on the turtles living near human communities? can we tell which turtles have been affected by pollution from our cities, like San Diego? how fast do the turtles grow???

Believe it or not, we do not know a lot of the very basic information about sea turtles! This is a very common challenge for scientists studying large, long-lived, and migratory animals in the ocean. Other animals like some whales, dolphins, seals and sharks are the same way - they are all familiar animals, like sea turtles, but very basic questions about them remain unanswered since there are some many difficulties in studying them.

All of these questions driving my research are important because they will help us to better know how many of these animals are in the different parts of the Pacific ocean, and how the entire population of East Pacific green sea turtles is doing over all. Knowing the population size of this species is key, because they are an endangered animal, protected by the Endangered Species Act. I will continue to partner with scientists at NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center to do this research, as NOAA's branch, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is responsible for assessing and managing endangered species found in the oceans.

My research will help manage this population, so we can better understand the impact of things like fishing and pollution on the overall size of the population of turtles.

Stay tuned, as I'll continue sharing this journey!

PS - A recent article in the Voice of San Diego discussed the wetlands in the South San Diego Bay, where I help monitor the sea turtles residing there. A couple of times in the article it was said that the sea turtles will no longer be in the bay, now that the power plant has been turned off... this is not the case! The turtles are still in the bay! The water in the South San Diego Bay is still a good temperature for the turtles, and there is still plenty of eelgrass for the turtles to eat! Not to fear, our turtles like their home in San Diego, and won't be going anywhere any time soon!

What we may see, as discussed in previous posts, is that the time of year when turtles are visiting the bay will shift a little bit. The turtles used to be in the south bay especially in the winter, when the power plant kept the cooler water warmer, but then they wouldn't be in the south bay as much during the summer, when the power plant made the water too hot much of the time. Now, we may start seeing a change in these patters - we may see the turtles more in the summer when the bay is warm, and we may see them less in the winter, when the water cools a bit. Again, NOAA researchers are working hard to continually monitor this population, so they are in good hands! Stay tuned as our South Bay monitoring season will start in just a few weeks!

Turning off the heat: Impacts of power plant decommissioning on green turtle (Chelonia mydas) research in San Diego Bay, CA USA

2011-04-29T22:04:00.000-07:00

Turning off the heat: Impacts of power plant decommissioning on green turtle (Chelonia mydas) research in San Diego Bay, CA USA

Paper currently in review.

Abstract

Green turtles (Chelonia mydas) are among the most high profile species in San Diego Bay, California, and understanding impacts of coastal development and industry is essential to the management and conservation of this local population. Here we describe power plant changing energy production and its impact on turtle habitat use and our ability to research and manage this population.

For over 20 years, green sea turtles have been captured, assessed and tagged near the South Bay Power Plant (SBPP) in the San Diego Bay; from 2002-2009, 73 turtles were captured on 173 occasions. As the 50-yrs old SBPP generates less energy, effluent patterns change and water temperatures decrease, presumably to more natural conditions. There has been a concurrent decrease in turtle-capture success, perhaps due to lesser visitation to the effluent site where nets are tended. Seasonal catch-per-unit-effort declined from a high of 4.14 turtles per monitoring day, to a seven-year low of 1.45 during the 2008-2009 season. It is already apparent that management decisions related to energy policy are affecting the habitat and behavior of this stock of endangered turtles. Green turtles are expected to remain in the San Diego Bay after the SBPP becomes inoperative and continuing research will monitor future impacts and distribution shifts resulting from the expected changes in thermal pattern within south San Diego Bay. Research efforts to study this population (i.e. capture methods and locations) will require modification in response to these changes. Lessons learned here are applicable to the immediate coastal development of San Diego, as well as at similar interactions between marine turtles and industrial thermal effluent discharge throughout Southern California, the United States and beyond.

PDF version of poster available

PDF draft available by contacting author

Key References

California Energy Commission. 2005. Staff Report CEC-700-2005-013: Issues and Environmental Impact Associated with Once- though Cooling at California’s Coastal Power Plants. Available at http://www.energy.ca.gov/2005_energypolicy/documents/index.html#051005 (accessed December 1, 2009).

Carr, A., L. Ogren, C. McVea. 1980. Apparent hibernation by the Atlantic Loggerhead Turtle (Carretta carretta) off Cape Canaveral, Florida. Biological Conservation 19:7-14.

Clifton, K., D. Cornejo and S. Felger, 1982. Sea turtles of the pacific coast in Mexico. In Biology and Conservation of Sea Turtles, ed. K. Bjorndal, 199–209. Smithsonian Institution Press: Washington DC.

Deutsch, C.J., 2000. Winter movements and use of warm-water refugia by radio-tagged West Indian manatees along the Atlantic coast of the United States. Final Report prepared for the Florida Power and Light Company and U.S. Geological Survey. 133 pp.

Dutton, P. and D. McDonald. 1992. Ultrasonic Tracking of Sea Turtles In San Diego Bay. In J.I. Richardson and T.H. Richardson (Compilers), Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual Workshop on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation (pp. 218-221). Washington DC: NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFC-361.

Eguchi, T., J. A. Seminoff, R. LeRoux, P. H. Dutton, D. M. Dutton. 2010. Abundance and survival rates of green turtles in and urban environment: coexistance of humans and an endangered species. Marine Biology DOI:10.1007/s00227-010-1458-9.

Felger, R., K. Clifton, and P. Regal. 1976. Winter Dormancy in Sea Turtles: Independent Discovery and Exploitation in the Gulf of California by Two Local Cultures. Science 191(4224):283-285.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. 2008. Summary of Artificial Warm Water Refugia Issues. Available at: http://myfwc.com/manatee/habitat/warmwat.htm (accessed December 1, 2008).

Guerra-Correa, C.G., C.M. Guerra-Correa, P.D. Bolados, A. Silva and P. Garfias. 2008. Sea turtle congregations in discrete temperate shoreline areas in cold Northern Chilean coastal waters. In A.F. Rees, M. Frick, A. Panagopoulou and K. Willams compilers. Proceedings of the Twenty-Seventh Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation (pp. 211-212). Washington DC: NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFSC-569, 262p.

Hochscheid, S., F. Bentivegna, M. N. Bradai, and G. C. Hays. 2007. Overwintering behavior in sea turtles: dormancy is optional. Marine Ecology Progress Series 340:287-298.

Inman, D.L., and B. M. Brush. 1973. The Coastal Challenge. Science 181(4094):20-32.

Laist, D., and J. Reynolds. 2005a. Influence of Power Plants and Other Warm-Water Refuges on Florida Manatees. Marine Mammal Science 21(4):739-764.

Laist, D., and J. Reynolds. 2005b. Florida Manatees, Warm-Water Refuges, and an Uncertain Future. Coastal Management 33(3):279-295.

Langford, T.E.L. 1990. Ecological Effects of Thermal Discharges. London: Elsevier Applied Science.

McDonald, D., P. Dutton, D. Mayer, and K. Merkel. 1994. Review of the Green Turtles of South San Diego Bay in Relation to the Operations of the SDG&E South Bay Power Plant. Unpublished report prepared for San Diego Gas and Electric, San Diego, CA.

Packard, J., R. Frohlich, J. Rynolds, and J. Wilcox. 1989. Manatee Response to Interruption of a Thermal Effluent. The Journal of Wildlife Management 53(3):692-700.

Stinson, M. 1984. Biology of sea turtles in San Diego Bay, California, and in the north eastern Pacific Ocean. San Diego State University. San Diego: Master's Thesis.

Torezani, E., C. Baptistotte, S.L. Mendes and P.C.R. Barata. 2010. Juvenile green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in the effluent discharge channel of a steel plant, Espírito Santo, Brazil, 2000–2006. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 90, pp 233-246 doi:10.1017/S0025315409990579.

Calling All Teachers!

2011-04-07T19:03:00.000-07:00

FREE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP: Bringing the Ocean and Sea Turtle Science into the Classroom
	Thursday, April 14th 4:00 - 7:00 pm Town and Country Hotel San Diego, CA Registration Deadline Extended to April 10!

The International Sea Turtle Society convenes a uniquely important four-day symposium each year that brings people together from all around the world (more than 1,000 people from over 80 countries!), all dedicated to the research and conservation of sea turtles. The 2011 Symposium marks the return of this meeting to the U.S. for the first time in four years, and it will be the first-ever Symposium hosted on the U.S. west coast! The theme of this year’s meeting is The Next Generation of Research and Conservation. Throughout the week, major efforts will be made to recognize and support student contributions to the Society and to advancing research and conservation of sea turtles around the world.

The Symposium is partnering with the Ocean Connectors program to host a special Teachers Workshop on April 14! This unique educational workshop will be provided FREE of charge and will focus on ocean conservation through the biology of sea turtles while meeting state learning standards. Special guest speaker Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, world-renowned sea turtle biologist, will commence the Teachers Workshop with a thought provoking and inspiring lecture on "Oceanophilia: The Neuroscience of Emotion and our relationship to the Ocean (and sea turtles)". Following the lecture, teachers will be introduced to online resources and classroom activities to inspire the next generation to protect, understand, study, and respect our oceans. Participants will receive 3 hours professional development credit.

Register for this free workshop by e-mailing Frances Kinney at frances@propeninsula.org.
Please provide the following information:
1) Full Name
2) Name of School, District, and Grade Level
3) E-mail and Phone Number

Please help us spread the word about this special opportunity – invite a fellow educator to join the Teachers Workshop!

Enrollment confirmation and Workshop details will be sent via e-mail. For more information, please contact Frances Kinney at frances@propeninsula.org or Barbara Andrews at BAndrews@calacademy.org.

Marine Turtle Conservation: a diagnostic tool for success

2011-04-07T18:44:00.000-07:00

By Cali Turner Tomaszewicz, Danielle DiIullo, Aly Fleming, and Michelle Lande

About the Project

Marine turtles, as a group, are some of the widest ranging animals on the planet. They are adapted for almost every marine habitat from the ocean's surface to depths of up to 1000m, from one side of an ocean basin to the other and then up onto the beaches at the ocean's edge. Despite this miraculous range and flexibility, all seven species of sea turtles are threatened or endangered, some even critically. In addition, most nesting takes place in countries that lack the resources to properly protect the turtles. Fortunately, in recent decades, the world has begun to notice and efforts to promote conservation have been initiated in coastal nations around the globe.

These conservation initiatives range in scale from local community operations to international NGO projects. While nearly all efforts are well-intentioned, not all have experienced great success. Just as marine turtles' range is so broad, so are the threats that face them, making their preservation extremely challenging.

By examining a wide range of conservation projects and much of the relevant scientific literature, we have created this website as a diagnostic tool in hopes that it will aid current efforts. There are seven elements to our Diagnostic Tool that we feel have been demonstrated by many conservation groups as crucial elements of a successful conservation program. We have focused here on the socio-economic and cultural components of marine turtle conservation. We feel these are just as integral to successful conservation as basic biological principles.

1. Base foundation on local socioeconomic and cultural conditions and practices

2. Match varying scales – ecological, spatial, social

3. Harness local and external knowledge

4. Facilitate and utilize a strong, responsive legal capacity

5. Identify and address limitations

6. Promote longevity and adaptability

7. Share and learn from practices

More Information

How to Use the Diagnostic Tool
Creating the Framework
How to Define Success
What is Least-Cost?
References
Links

Comments and questions may be addressed to co-author: Cali Turner TomaszewiczContact: cali.turner@gmail.com - Will also be available at the 2011 ISTS.

Other co-authors:, Dani DiIullo, Aly Fleming and Michelle Lande

Created as a graduate project at Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, University of California, San Diego

San Diego Bay Sea Turtle, Recovering at SeaWorld

2011-02-04T07:56:00.000-08:00

The Power Plant is Closed - and the Turtles are Still Here!

December 31st, 2010, was the last day o f operation for the South Bay Power Plant. For over 50 years, this massive plant has produced energy for San Diego businesses and residents, and now the four-unit energy-generator is silent. This was no surprise (read some past blog posts to learn more!). Regulators, residents and researchers all knew the power plant's days were numbered, it was just a matter of time. The plant used old technology, called once-through-cooling (OTC), and pulled in water in from the San Diego bay to cool and condense the steam used for the plant's operation, and the warmed water was then discharged back into the bay.

For several decades, the population of green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) which forage (or eat) in the south part of the bay have been monitored by graduate students and researchers from NOAA's protected resources division at the Southwestern Fisheries Science Center. Since the power plant's closure, researchers have conducted two monitoring days, and each time turtles have been found. The first day yielded a remarkable 6 turtles found. And last week, while conducting a regular monitoring session, NOAA researchers, whom I've assisted for the past three seasons, found one sea turtle. This turtle, however, wasn't looking very good.

The large male green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas)
found in the San Diego Bay, and was later taken to Sea World
for rehabilitation.

The large male green turtle had been found in past years, as well as earlier this monitoring season. When I first met this particular turtle, two things were immediately noticeable: 1) a large portion of his tail is missing, 2) one of his rear flippers was quite mangled and injured. Neither of these injuries were recent, and were each likely due to entanglement and or interaction with a boat.

The left rear flipper and tail showed past injuries. The white bar is a
sonic tag used to monitor the turtle's location locally within the San Diego Bay.

Floating debris, such as discarded fishing line and plastic pollution, and boat strikes are common causes of injuries to turtles around the world. But the other thing that researchers noticed about this turtle, which was different from the past years, was that he was more lethargic than usual, and he had lost a considerable amount of weight. (Weighing and measuring turtles, in addition to tagging and photographing them, is part of the monitoring program for this endangered species.)

Images from SeaTurtle.org Image Library

The turtle found in the San Diego Bay last week is part of a population of green turtles that breed and nest at beaches in Mexico and off-shore islands and are an endangered species that is protected by the US Endangered Species Act and additional international agreements, such as CITES. Genetic research by NOAA's scientists is helping to identify where exactly the sea turtles in the San Diego Bay nest and breed.

Standard protocol for when a turtle is deemed to need immediate medical attention, is to transport the animal to the veterinarians at Sea World. NOAA scientists determined that this large male turtle needed help, and so we took him to Sea World for diagnosis and rehabilitation. This was the first such animal that I have encountered during my time helping NOAA which was is poor enough condition to warrant intervention. A goal of endangered species research is to be as minimally intrusive into their normal behaviors as possible.

Later in the week, I heard the news that x-rays had shown this turtle to have been shot. I couldn't believe the news. After thinking about it some more, I really wasn't all that surprised that some people might do this - after all - I've heard plenty of stories about sea lions being shot by people who view them as an annoyance, despite the animals being a protected species. And it seems there will always be a few people out there who give humans an especially bad image.

The doctors at Sea World said that the wounds from the four shots did not look new, so the shooting was not a recent incident. It is likely that a combination of factors, including being entangled when he sustained his tail/flipper injuries, cool winter temperatures, and any number of threats (trash, pollution, boats & etc.) were the cause of this turtle's lethargic state.

But the good news is that the large green turtle has received a good prognosis from the veterinarians treating him, and he should be released, perhaps later this summer, so that he can continue his life-journey as one of San Diego's sea turtles.

Three Months (and 674 Sea Turtles) Later

2010-07-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

This week, we will pass the 3-month mark since the oil from the Deepwater Horizon well began spilling into the Gulf of Mexico. And while this blog was created to share the work and research being done to learn about San Diego, CA's own local sea turtles, we cannot help but keep in mind our own sea turtle's counterparts who are continuously being affected by the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

The reason I, personally, love to study sea turtles is because they rely on the same functioning and health ecosystem that people do. So we know that if our sea turtles are healthy and doing well, then so are we - the people who love to eat sea food and who appreciate that our beaches protect us from large waves and storm surges. (There are MANY more reasons why we, two-footed-land-dwellers, need and rely upon our oceans - but we'll save that for another day!)

Sea turtles, in fact, have been called sentinels of the sea - and can help us better understand the state of the ocean's health.And so, my interest in the sea turtles here in San Diego is directly connected with my interest in the welfare of the regional (San Diego, Southern California, and Baja, Mexico) ecosystem, community and economy. Likewise, the concern of the sea turtles of the Gulf of Mexico is directly linked to the concern for the welfare of the Gulf's ecosystem, community, and economy.

For three months now we've been hearing about the impacts of the oil spilling into the gulf. Like many sadly-common news stories, it is all too easy to just stop listening, put it out of your mind, and move on. Unfortunately, the problems and challenges we just don't want to think about anymore don't go away just because we change the channel on the tv. And so I'll continue to help with these brief updates mixed in with continuing information about San Diego's sea turtles.

Green sea turtle surfacing in the Caribbean (photo by author)

As of Saturday, July 17th, here are the numbers concerning turtles affected by the oil spill. Visit NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration for full details.

674
total number of sea turtles verified from April 30 - July 17 within the designated spill area

144 or 21%
of the 674, the number of live turtles actively rescued on-water

464 or 69%
of the 674; the number of turtles stranded dead

58 or 9%
of the 674; the number of turtles stranded alive
4
of those 58, the number that subsequently died

187
turtles currently in rehabilitation

162
total number of turtles stranded or captured that were found with visible external oil
146 or 91%
of the oiled turtles, those which are currently alive

And just as mentioned in the other updates, oil is just one factor contributing to the mortality of these turtles. Other threats such as fishing practices contribute to the strandings and deaths reported here; however, the impacts from the oil spill inevitably result in reduced fitness of marinelife, including turtles, such that the animals have a harder time surviving other non-oil-related threats and challenges to survival.

Green sea turtle resting near old fishing gear (photo by author).

And of other news since the last post, 70,000 sea turtle eggs were relocated to the Atlantic coast of Florida, so that the hatchlings - who already have difficult odds (1 in 1,000) of surviving to adulthood - would not become immediately immersed into the oily waters of the Gulf. This plan has been initiated by many local and regional agencies, as well as the federal US Fish & Wildlife and NOAA's Fisheries Services. The relocated nests will be allowed to stay at their original Gulf beaches for as long as possible, so that there is a better chance for the hatchlings to become "imprinted" with their natal beach - that is - they will know what beach to come back to when it is their turn to mate and lay eggs.

NASA's Kennedy Space Center is hosting the transplanted nests, and the entire process is quite unprecedented. Nest-relocation is a common sea turtle conservation practice - but it usually involves moving the nest to another location at the same beach - really never are nests moved to an entirely different beach on a totally different coast.

Time will tell if this was a good choice - but the experts at USFWS and NOAA know that the hatchlings chance of survival if the nests are not moved are incredibly slim, making this action worth the risks in this instance.

To read more on the nest relocation, here is a general information article, the USFWS announcement and FAQs on the rescue mission, and the New England Aquarium rescue staff continues to update their blog on the rescue efforts.

Finally, I recommend viewing the recent "Turtle Talk" hosted by the Audubon Nature Institute to hear more directly from the experts involved in the turtle rescue, rehabilitation, and overall response efforts to the oil spill.

San Diego Hatchlings (from SeaWorld) Moved to Monterey Bay Aquarium

2010-07-02T13:31:00.000-07:00

Last October, SeaWorld San Diego discovered that one of their adult female turtles had built a nest and laid eggs when 82 hatchlings emerged one day! Now, nine months later, ten of those hatchlings, now young juveniles, have been moved to the Monterey Bay Aquarium!

Basking sea turtles at SeaWorld San Diego (2009, photo by author)

The turtles on display at SeaWorld, where they have multiple species, is one of two places for anyone to see sea turtles up close in San Diego, the other being at the Chula Vista Nature Center - a wonderful place if you've never been!

Green turtle at Chula Vista Nature Center (2008, photo by author)

In the future, I would love to collaborate with SeaWorld to help enhance the entire sea turtle experience (the exhibit and display) - as it currently is a bit small, too close to a ride, and generally under utilized given the overall popularity of sea turtles. The turtle exhibit cannot be found on SeaWorld San Diego's online map, and I was unable to find the turtles on SeaWorld's Exhibit also, which is unfortunate as well - but to find it at the Park, head to the Shipwreck Rapids ride; and they do provide information about sea turtles, however, at their online Animal Infobooks.

Regardless of these facts, this recent move of some SD sea turtles to Monterey Bay is a neat opportunity for sea turtle lovers to now be able to see young turtles at the MB Aq. The small turtles have been placed in the Aquarium's relatively new "Hot Pink Flamingos: Stories of Hope in a Changing Sea" exhibit, which I was lucky enough to visit in May.

Green turtles at Monterey Bay Aquarium (2010, photo by author)

In May, the MB Aq. had two other larger green sea turtles for this Hot Pink Flamingos exhibit (see photos above), but these two are now in a behind the scenes area and are planned to be moved to the large Outer Bay exhibit after renovations this fall, according to an article in the Monterey Herald. That will be a nice change for those two animals, who will also be joined by two more turtles, as they were rapidly outgrowing that particular home.

A final thought on animals in captivity

Having worked at an aquarium for three years, I was often asked the question, "isn't it mean to keep these animals in captivity?" My answer then, just as it would be now is this: if the animals are well cared for by responsible and knowledgeable people, who put the animal's welfare above other matters (i.e. tourist season, class schedules, money...), then no, it is not mean at all. And in fact, when animals in captivity are taken care of, they are most importantly helping protect and conserve their counterparts still in the wild.

Author feeding leopard sharks at the Roundhouse Aquarium, Manhattan Beach, CA
(2003 photo by E. Martin).

By having a few animals in captivity - where the general public can see them, learn about them, and ultimately begin to understand and love them - then people are much more likely to make changes that will help to protect the rest of the animals in the wild. I also believe that the people who are responsible for caring for animals in captivity should be humble enough to know when certain animals should never, or no longer, be in captivity. Pride and arrogance of human-capabilities, or the urge to make a profit can be dangerous. Some animals just need large spaces and resources that no aquarium can provide. Some animals rely heavily on social interactions that cannot be provided for whilst in captivity.

Furthermore, successful reproductive programs in zoos and aquariums have pretty much eliminated the need to collect most animals from the wild. And finally, some animals who have been pushed to the brink of extinction - largely due to human behavior such as hunting or habitat loss - can continue to survive in captivity, with the hope of rebuilding wild populations. So, as long as responsible scientists, veterinarians and aquarists are remembering to put the animal first, then the creatures in captivity can be essential to the survival of the species.

Nearly 600 Sea Turtles Verified in Spill Area; Nearly 3/4 of those were stranded dead

2010-06-29T09:01:00.000-07:00

The LA Times has a series of photos of the turtle-rescue efforts taking place, the image below is one of those, and is of a Kemp's Ridley turtle emerging from an oil/sargassum patch - who unfortunately evaded the rescuers.

Photo from Los Angeles Times, Carolyn Cole

And continuing our update on San Diego Sea Turtle's relatives in the Gulf of Mexico, as of Sunday, June 27th, here are the numbers concerning turtles affected by the oil spill. Visit NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration for full details.

580
total number of sea turtles verified from April 30 - June 27 within the designated spill area

98 or 17%
of the 580, the number of live turtles actively rescued on-water

430 or 74%
of the 580; the number of turtles stranded dead

45 or 8%
of the 580; the number of turtles stranded alive
4
of those 45, the number that subsequently died

135
turtles currently in rehabilitation

110 or 81%
total number of turtles that are in rehabilitation that were captured (98) and stranded (37) alive with visible external oil

Photo from Los Angeles Times, Carolyn Cole

Also noteworthy, a young sperm whale was found dead, 77 miles south of the spill site on June 15th. Like the most common species of sea turtle being found in the spill site (Kemp's Ridley), the sperm whale is an endangered species, and happens to be the only endangered resident cetacean (whale) found in this northern part of the Gulf. According to NOAA's same website, "There are no records of stranded whales in the Gulf of Mexico for the month of June for the period 2003-2007." Tissue samples taken from the 25-foot deceased sperm whale will be analyzed to try and determine cause of death and possible impact from oil.

Another cetacean impacted are dolphins. As of June 27th, 55 dolphins have been verified in the designated spill area, and all but 2 were already dead or subsequently died (96%).

Some Early Steps in the Removal of the South Bay Power Plant

2010-06-16T18:28:00.000-07:00

The South Bay Power Plant looms over the south San Diego Bay's wetlands - Photo by author

An early step in the long-coming process of removing the South Bay Power Plant (SBPP) from the south San Diego Bay occurred today when "SDG&E filed for approval from the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) to relocate the company's existing South Bay substation in Chula Vista to a site south of the South Bay Power Plant to open up public access to the waterfront".

This is one of many regulatory and proceedural steps needed before the SBPP is shutdown and removed from the edge of our San Diego sea turtle's home. The California Independent System Operator (Cal-ISO) still needs to remove the "must run status" of the plant before it can be completely shut down, and full environmental reviews, development plans and permits are still to follow this action - but it is one step closer to the changes we knew have been coming for a long time.

So all of you out there who enjoy our sea turtles, birds, fish and other wonderful wildlife who share our great natural resource, the San Diego Bay, keep paying attention to this process and make sure your voice is heard.

The Port of San Diego and the City of Chula Vista in particular will be working hard to coordinate plans to convert the land now occupied by the SBPP to something new and different. And through the participation of citizens, scientist, and policy makers - we have the potential to create a well preserved bayfront environment; which also provides learning and earning opportunity for San Diego's residents and visitors.

There is a spectrum of impact that development can have on the environment and the natural resources (including the turtles). Likewise, there is a spectrum of value - both traditional economic value as well as non-tradition inherent, personal, and enjoyment value - which differing types of development can generate. My hope is that a creative development plan can maximize both the economic and inherent value of the South Bay. For example, a rejuvenated area with shops, restaurants, homes and even hotels could be set off of the bay. While open space, parks, natural wetlands, observation decks, kayak launch/rental, and trails allow residents and visitors alike the chance to enjoy the beautiful coastal ecosystems of the South Bay.

The South Bay Power Plant and the site of our makeshift field research

station during sea turtle monitoring days - Photo by author

I can visualize school groups learning about wetlands and birds, while watching the mullet leap from the water as they scan to see those turtles pop up for a breath of air. Bird-watching enthusiasts could stroll along the wetland edges, taking in the many migration and residential species found in the South Bay; while only having a short 5 minute walk before they take a seat and enjoy a cut of coffee at a small cafe. Giant sea turtles, one of the most charismatic creatures in the ocean, will continue to visit and feed in the South Bay. Jobs can be created, amazing educational experiences can be had, a new recreation opportunity will be accessible; all through smart planning for the upcoming development.

Economic value can coincide with environmental conservation. The two are in no way mutually exclusive. This is our wonderful backyard, this is our wonderful opportunity. Let's continue to be involved in the process, make our opinions and desires heard, and support our leaders and representatives making these decisions about the future of the South Bay.

See the full press release article from SDG&E about this early step here.

Continued Impacts of the Oil Spill on the Gulf's Turtles

2010-06-15T09:05:00.000-07:00

Just a brief update on the sea turtles in the Gulf, as we enter the 8th week of spill impact. From NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration, as of June 13th:

411
total number of sea turtles verified from April 30 - June 13 within the designated spill area

48 or 12%
of the 411; the number of turtles actively rescued on-water
3 and 3
of the 48; the number found dead, and the number that later died

363 or 88%
of the 411; the number of turtles that have stranded

330 or 91%
of the 363; the number of turtles stranded dead

33 or 7%
of the 363; the number of turtles stranded alive
4
of those 33, the number that subsequently died

57
total number of captured (42 live, 3 dead, 3 later died) and stranded (5 live, 4 dead) turtles found with visible external oil

67
turtles currently in rehabilitation

Dolphins are another marine megafauna affected by the spill and the impact is also being tracked by NOAA's ORR. As of June 13th, a total of 41 dead dolphins have been found. 39 were found dead, one later died at the beach, and the other was euthanized.

Marine turtles and dolphins share similarities which put them at risk for similar impacts concerning this oil spill:

Use coastal areas and the Gulf to feed
They will likely ingest oil and associated toxins mixed into the water, as well as tarballs
According to NOAA's "Oil and Sea Turtles: Biology, Planning and Response"guide, tar balls in the gut may cause blockage leading to starvation, inadequate nutrition absorption, absorbed toxins, intenstinal blockage, trouble utilizing energy (fat) resources, and bouyancy problems caused by internal gas buildup - making feeding and predator/boat avoidance difficult.

They breath air at the ocean's surface
This exposes the marine animals to surface oil entering the body, as well as the potential inhalation of the petroleum fumes

They live in the water all* the time (*the exception of course being nesting females on the beach)
And unless they can actively avoid the spill-impacted area, they have no choice but to remain in the oil-contaminated water. Continued exposure to the oil and all its associated chemicals and compounds will likely cause physiological and biological impacts (i.e. sloughing of exposed skin, leading to parasite and disease risks; limited food in-take; organ dysfunction; hormone imbalance; abnormal development; changes in blood chemistry; difficulty with salt excretion)

Photo by author: Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) in rehabilitation at
Loggerhead Marinelife Center in Juno Beach, Florida (2004).

Other serious impacts to marine turtles are also shared with coastal wildlife rather than dolphins, and affects the breeding, nesting, and hatching turtles. As outlined in Chapter 4 of the same NOAA guide, potential impacts include:

Interference with breeding behavior and location of breeding/nesting sites
The oil may affect breeding success and put males as well as females at risk if they aggregate closer to shore than they would otherwise while feeding or migrating
The oil may disrupt environmental cues that are thought to guide breeding and nesting turtles to the nesting and breeding sites (i.e. masking olfactory cues)

Reduced food supply
This includes the kill-off and/or contamination of fish and invertebrates, as well as damaged seagrass beds, and reefs, especially as the oil begins to wash ashore and congeals

Reduce nesting and hatchling succes
Nesting females:
Oil and tarballs washed ashore may deter or impede nesting females from successfully nesting
They may not emerge at all
They may not be able to dig a body pit/nest cavity
They will put themselves into direct contact with the oil
They may become entangled in oil-contaminated debris and beach wrack
The eggs may be buried with oil-contaminated sand
All of these impacts threaten the long-term turtle population levels

Eggs:
The eggs/hatchlings are at high risk for decreased survival and increased deformities when exposed to "freshly" spilled oil (i.e. the oil spill occurs during nesting season; as opposed to heavily weathered oil)
Nests could become smothered in oil/tarballs, which would prevent the exchange of air (oxygen and carbon dioxide) as well as inhibiting the proper amount of moisture within the nest
The nest temperature may be increased due to the darker color of the oil-contaminated sand - and because male/female ratio of hatchlings in a nest is determined by nest-temperature; oil on the nest or in the sand would raise the nest temperature, creating more females and fewer males
All of these impacts threaten the long-term turtle population levels

Hatchlings:
Oil on the beach could trap, entangle, contaminate/poision emerging hatchlings
Once in the water, hatchlings are moved by currents, gathering them with other floating objects - which usually includes seaweed and food - but now also includes oil
Hatchlings do not dive the way older turtles do, instead they spend much more time at the surface, exposing them to aggregated oil and the fumes
Hatchlings and juvenile turtles are often thought to be indiscriminate foragers, which means they eat what they find - which now includes oil and tarballs
All of these impacts threaten the long-term turtle population levels

Sea turtles are long-lived creatures, which have navigated the oceans for hundreds of millions of years. The list of threats sea turtles encounter throughout their lives is long; and this horrible human-error is just one more giant black mark we have made on their (and our!) environment.

Feel sad, yes. Feel mad, yes. Help, yes.
But most of all - look at the way you live your life.

What choices do you make everyday that are related to this human impact?
What could you do differently to make that impact just a little bit smaller?

(Need a few ideas to get started - check out this article from sea turtle researcher, Wallace J. Nichols, written on World Ocean Day and Jacques Cousteau's 100th birthday, "What Would Jacques Do? One Hundred Years of Oil")

Good. Now do it.

Updated! California Sea Turtle Crossed the Pacific

2010-06-14T08:40:00.001-07:00

Our first turtle of the 2009-2010 monitoring season was equipped with a satellite GPS tag on November 5th, 2009. Anyone who was interested in following this turtle, named Bonita, could sign up on SeaTurtle.org to receive updates by email as Bonita continued on her journey. After spending at least a few months (see Nov-Jan tracks) in the San Diego Bay, Bonita's tag was removed and used to follow another sea turtle.

Bonita's tag had been placed on a leatherback sea turtle!

On April 15th I received an email showing that this new turtle wasn't in California's waters anymore! And three subsequent emails, the latest one coming just this morning, shows that the leatherback has traveled over 6,700 miles (10,819 km), crossing the entire Pacific ocean, and is currently north of Papua New Guinea! This tag has been transmitting information for over 200 days. This preliminary information - posted earlier this week - was at first thought to be on a green sea turtle - which didn't really make a whole lot of sense! - because this type of migration is not part of their life cycle. So, it has now been confirmed by researchers in charge of this project - that the tag was placed on a leatherback sea turtle - who now appears to be nesting in Jamursba Medi, in West Papua.

In San Diego, we have green sea turtles in the Bay, but other species of sea turtles found off California's coast travel great distances and even cross the Pacific. Leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) tagged off of California's central coast have been tracked all the way to the South Pacific where they nest in Papua, Indonesia. And some loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) feed on pelagic crabs off of Baja, Mexico and nest thousands of miles away in Japan.

Sources and additional information:

Bonita's/ NOW LEATHERBACK Tracking page at SeaTurtle.org

2004 Green Turtle Assessment

Recovery Plan (1998) - East Pacific Green Turtle

Recovery Plan (1998) - Pacific Green Turtle

Loggerheads and fishery interaction in the East Pacific

Leatherback tracking

San Diego Bay Research - NOAA SWFSC

Sea Turtle Rescue Efforts Continue

2010-06-08T07:51:00.000-07:00

According to NOAA's Office of Respo nse and Restoration (ORR), an additional 47 sea turtles were verified within the designated spill area in the last week (see June 1 post for May 31 summary totals).

NOAA's Facebook page has posted some photos (shown above and below) of the driftlines being searched for turtles as well as a couple of the juvenile turtles that were rescued during the efforts taking place 20-40 miles offshore. (Photo: from NOAA Facebook - courtesy of Georgia Dept. Natural Resources, showing senior biologist searching for turtles within the oilfilled Sargassum driftline. )

Yet according to a June 4 blog post by Dr. Charles Innis of the New England Aquarium who is in Louisiana helping with the efforts, no new turtles were brought into the local rehabilitation center, the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas (AOA) between June 1-4 (and presumably the 5th as well) due to the bad weather in the Gulf. But on Sunday, June 6, at-sea efforts resumed, and five more turtles were captured, all but one were still alive and are now in rehabilitation.

Here are the updated numbers from NOAA's ORR as of June 6th:

47
the number of additional turtle's verified within the designated spill area in the last week

300
total number of sea turtles verified from April 30 - June 6 within the designated spill area

248 or 83%
total number of turtles stranded dead

22 or 7%
total number of turtles stranded alive
3
of those 22, the number that subsequently died

30 or 10%
total number of turtles captured during on-water rescue efforts by NOAA, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission and other trained partners.
25
of the 30 rescued turtles, the number in rehabilitation at Audubon Aquarium
2:3
the number captured that were already dead; and the number which later died

35
of the stranded (5) and captured turtles (30) with visible external evidence of oil
4:1
the number stranded alive: the number stranded dead
2
number of the 4 stranded alive that were caught during skimming operations

41
turtles in rehabilitation

Many different groups have pitched in to help with the turtle-specific rescue efforts, including veterinarians from the NEA who are putting updates (when they get a break) on their own rescue blog. Check it out to see more photos and hear details about the work being done once rescued turtles are brought to shore at the Audubon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans.
(Photo: from NOAA's Facebook page - courtesy of NOAA & Georgia DNR, showing NOAA veterinarian cleaning a recently rescued juvenile Kemp's Ridley.)

Once at the AOA, the turtles are examined, cleaned, and treated. In addition to the NEA blog with great photos and first hand accounts of the efforts, The Louisiana Marine Mammal and Sea Turtle Rescue Program (LMMSTRP) is another one of the many partners helping in this effort, and have posted additional photos of the cleaning process on Flickr.

Weather reports of continuing southwesterly winds indicate that the oil slick is expected to continue moving north towards Louisiana as well as the Mississippi and Alabama barrier islands, and east toward the Florida Panhandle.

The next post will focus on another common theme of this San Diego Sea Turtle blog, and that is on the economic value of marine life and the ocean's resources.

Until then, the best sign off again seems to be with a big "Thank You!" to all the people helping with the rescue and cleanup efforts; and positive thoughts for the gushing to stop.

Photo: by CTT's hubby, Green turtle in St. Thomas

The Gulf Oil Spill and Sea Turtles

2010-06-01T08:48:00.000-07:00

The green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) that are found in San Diego Bay are of part of the Pacific population which is listed as endangered and is therefore protected and closely managed. Similarly, other species and populations of sea turtles found along U.S. coasts and in U.S. waters are protected and closely monitored; all five species of sea turtles found within U.S. waters are listed as either endangered or threatened. All five of these species are found within the Gulf of Mexico.

Green (Chelonia mydas) - Breeding populations in Florida & Mexico's Pacific coast (includes San Diego's turtles) = Endangered; all other populations, Hawaii, = Threatened
Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) - Threatened
Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) - Endangered
Kemp's ridley (Lepidochelys kempii) - Endangered
Hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata ) - Endangered

A sixth species, the Olive ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) is found along the Pacific coast - usually Mexico and south. The seventh species of sea turtles, the Australian Flatback (Natador depressus), is only found in waters near Australia and Papua New Guinea. (photo by C Turner T, Green turtle near St. Thomas)

According to NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration, as of May 31st:

253
total number of sea turtles verified from April 30 to May 31 within the designated spill area

228 or 90%
total number of turtles stranded dead

15
number of turtles stranded alive

3
of those 15, the number that subsequently died

7
number of turtles captured May 31 "alive and very oiled" (6 Kemp's ridleys, 1 green; all pelagic-stage juveniles) by a "directed search efforts from a search vessel that included NOAA, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission staff and other partners"

40 mi
distance offshore the NOAA+partners team was that captured the above mentioned 7 turtles

12 and 1
of the 253 turtles verified within the spill area, the number of alive (12) and dead (1) turtles collected with "visible external evidence of oil. All others have not had visible evidence of external oil."

21
turtles in rehabilitation

The summary report also states that, "turtle strandings during this time period have been higher in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama than in previous years for this same time period. This may be due in part to increased detection and reporting, but this does not fully account for the increase." Even without the oil spill, the turtles in the Gulf of Mexico, like all ocean waters, are subject to many threats which cause mortalities every year. These threats include entanglement (in active and abandoned fishing gear, as well as debris/pollution), fishery bycatch, natural predation (i.e. sharks) and poaching, cold-stun/hypothermia during cold snaps, diseases and parasite-related infections, and habitat loss (includes nesting beaches and foraging grounds such as seagrass beds and coral reefs).

My advisor from NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center has even joined in the efforts to rescue some of these turtles, off the Louisiana coast, from some of the many oil driftlines.

Driftlines are usually made up of floating alga - usually Sargassum - and other floating debris that are brought together from currents and wind into these convergence zones. Juvenile turtles, especially, use these floating patches to rest in, feed in, and avoid predators. However, the oil which is being clumped together at the surface is also becoming collected in these driftlines. (photo: loggerhead hatchlings in Sargassum)

NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration's "Oil and Sea Turtles: Biology, Planning, and Response" guide describes oil-spill associated risks to turtles as follows:

Although surprisingly robust when faced with physical damage (shark attacks, boatstrikes), sea turtles are highly sensitive to chemical insults such as oil.
Areas of oil and gas exploration, transportation, and processing often overlap with important sea turtle habitats.
Sea turtles are vulnerable to the effects of oil at all life stages—eggs, post-hatchlings, juveniles, and adults in nearshore waters.
Several aspects of sea turtle biology and behavior place them at particular risk, including a lack of avoidance behavior, indiscriminate feeding in convergence zones, and large predive inhalations.
Oil effects on turtles include increased egg mortality and developmental defects, direct mortality due to oiling in hatchlings, juveniles, and adults; and negative impacts to the skin, blood, digestive and immune systems, and salt glands.

(From page 35)

Clearly this blog is specifically focused on sea turtles, yet the reason I personally am dedicated to studying these long-lived, migratory, charismatic animals is because they are excellent sentinels to the overall ocean health. Through studying the well-being of turtles and their habitats, we also learn a great deal about several ocean ecosystems, marinelife, and even our own coastal safety, homes/businesses and economy.

These are just some initial details and information about the current disaster and its impact on marine turtles... more to come. Until then - here's to keeping our fingers crossed that the spewing stops soon; and here are many thanks to those folks who are out there helping to protect and rescue the marine and coastal resources that are oh-so-important and wonderful.

New California Legislation: Power plants, marinelife, and us

2010-05-09T11:14:00.000-07:00

If you've followed this blog over the last year, then you know it is focused on a group of marine turtles from the Eastern Pacific green turtle (Chelonia mydas) population that aggregate near the South Bay Power Plant in the south San Diego Bay. My work for my Master's at SIO, was just a small part of the research NOAA scientists have conducted for over 20 years at this site. And the aspect of work I've looked at has to do with the fact that these endangered turtles spend much of their time in and near the warm-water discharge channel of the South Bay Power Plant (SBPP), a 50-year old energy plant which uses technology called once-through-cooling (OTC).

The SBPP has been generating less energy in recent years, and this means the amount of warmed water discharged by the OTC plant has been decreasing. You can explore the rest of the blog to learn more about this impact; but given that the population of turtles is remaining steady (about 60 in the San Diego Bay), and that they are in good health, researchers believe the turtles will be just fine once the plant closes completely. We anticipate that the turtles will adjust their location throughout the bay to remain in habitats that are favorable (i.e. the right water temperature range, eelgrass and other food to eat). In fact, early signs of these shifts in distribution were observed in the research I've done as exhibited in the decreased catchability within the discharge channel; and additional research by NOAA scientists and students at SDSU has begun this year to further study these changes.

OTC energy generating facilities are located near a body of water, there are 19 along California's coast. Plants using this type of technology pull in water from the nearby ocean or bay which is then used to cool the steam created by the energy generation process and that water, now warmed, is discharged back into the ocean or bay. Marine life and ecosystems can be affected by organisms being pulled into the OTC plant (entrainment and impingement), as well as changes to the ecosystem caused by the artificially warmer water being discharged. New technology such as dry-cooling (uses air vs. water) and closed loop cooling (reuses water vs. pull in and then discharge) is now common place among newer energy plants and do not have the same impacts on marine habitats.

For sometime now, policymakers in California and other parts of the US have considered legislation that would eventually eliminate the use of such OTC technology. The primary reason for requiring this change in technology is to comply with "best available" standards that guide much environmental regulation - this is often referred to as "best technology available, or BTA". What this means is that new, wide spread technology now exists which is more efficient that older technology and has a less negative impact on the environment and natural resources.

Logically, then, power plants that use OTC should either be upgraded to use the newer and less damaging technology, or they should be shut down completely, and newer, cleaner energy generation facilities should be built and brought on-line.

And this is what California's State Water Resources Control Board ruled on last week.

"The intent of this Policy is to ensure that the beneficial uses of the State’s coastal
and estuarine waters are protected while also ensuring that the electrical power
needs essential for the welfare of the citizens of the State are met. The State
Water Board recognizes it is necessary to develop replacement infrastructure to
maintain electric reliability in order to implement this Policy and in developing this
policy considered costs, including costs of compliance, consistent with state and
federal law." (May 4, 2010, OTC Policy)

The one other key factor that will have to be considered prior to the SBPP and other OTC plants being shut down is that the energy these operating plants generate, is used by us, the citizens of California. And if you recall the "energy crisis" of 2001, you know that reliable energy supply is essential to our lives and economy. Before these plants are shut down completely, a new source of energy (e.g. a new/different power plant), must be online and capable of providing the energy demand currently being met by the OTC plant. In the case of the SBPP, energy regulators have said that the creation of the Sunrise powerlink or a similar transmission line could bring power generated at inland solar/wind power plants to the coastal San Diego community. Alternatively, other power plant(s) may be constructed in south San Diego to fulfill the energy demand that currently exists.

Regardless, closing the power plant prior to having an energy source online and identified would be extremely disruptive to our lives in San Diego.

This OTC technology, created in the 1950s, is clearly no longer the "best available" and so energy decision makers must address this fact and update their plants accordingly, which may mean in some cases that plants are shut down.

The new policy now mandates these changes take place and forces energy companies to make changes that are overdue. These changes will cost money, which is the largest complaint of the energy companies (and these costs, of course, will be passed on to us, the consumers); however the newer technology is also more efficient, which means in the long run, it is a smart business move for the energy companies too, and it will also begin addressing much needed changes in reducing carbon emissions to curb climate change.

Additional information:

Regional Water Quality Control Board May 4, 2010 Ruling

California Rules Restrict Power Plants' Marine Water Use

California okays coastal power plant modifications

The Tracks of A Sea Turtle in San Diego

2010-01-06T12:12:00.000-08:00

Yesterday we were able to continue our successful run for the 2009-2010 San Diego Bay monitoring season, with two more turtles making an appearance. The first turtle who visited us was actually the very first one we found this season, "Bonita." The second turtle of the day was a brand new recruit (more on this juvenile to come in another post)!

Bonita was equipped with a satellite tag on November 5th, and she's been leaving her tracks since then. NOAA researchers have posted her path from the last two months on the wonderful sea turtle website (fresh with a new look!), SeaTurtle.org. See her tracks throughout the southern section of the San Diego Bay, covering 91km since November.

Researchers recovered the GPS tag and will be able to download the full data collected from this high-tech piece of equipment. The tag, a Wildlife Computers MK10-AF Argos-linked GPS transmitter, records not only the turtle's position, but other information about the animal's habitat as well, such as water temperature and depth.

Yesterday I was also able to meet the two new students affiliated with San Diego State University who will be continuing work very similar to the project I did for my Capstone project while at UCSD's SIO last year. In the coming years, and with support from the Port of San Diego, they will work with NOAA researchers and follow the localized movements of the turtles in the San Diego Bay and gather more detailed information about the water temperature and other factors affecting the turtles and their habitat. And with new developments regarding the life span of the South Bay Power Plant being made nearly every month, these findings on the turtle's habitat use will be useful to state and local regulators, power plant operators, and marine scientists alike.

(Photo: You don't usually see green sea turtle tracks on beaches of San Diego! These tracks were left by one of the green turtles as it was released back into the San Diego Bay after being weighed, measured and tagged.)

A Good Start to the New Year!

2010-01-04T15:50:00.000-08:00

(Photo: NMFS Permit # 1591)

So far, a total of eight (8) turtles have been caught this season while monitoring at the South Bay! Having been out only four times, NOAA scientists are averaging two turtles for every monitoring field day. Not a bad start to the season!

Tomorrow, we'll be out again and are hoping to continue this great trend in 2010. We'll be joined by some more local students as well.

For a number of years now, NOAA researchers, in partnership with Pro Peninsula (now part of the Ocean Foundation) and the Port of San Diego, have provided a select handful of students the chance to see science in action. On-site experiences start before the classes actually visit the field research station. This prep work provides students with background information through activities, classroom visits by researchers, and even visits to the Chula Vista Nature Center to see green turtles up close.

These experiences help the students to make the most of the time they actually spend on-site. At the South Bay, students help spot turtles resting in the "jacuzzi", witness the weighing, measuring and tagging of all the turtles found that day, and get the chance to ask the scientists about thier jobs, school experiences, and neat questions like "what does the nose of a sea turtle feel like?"

Because this research takes place at the power plant where access is limited, and combined with the fact that these turtles being studied are endangered, the number of people allowed to witness this amazing experience is very limited. The few classrooms able to participate in this moving and hands-on experience are extremely grateful for the funding support received from the Port and other sources, and for the researchers and staff who volunteer their time to enhancing this educational experience.

I know I am looking forward to seeing another group of excited San Diego students out in the field tomorrow- because I remember being a kid, seeing sea turtle researchers up close and personal, and thinking, "I wonder if I could do that one day, when I grow up...?"

The Turtles (and the Monitors) Return to San Diego Bay!

2009-10-19T22:10:00.001-07:00

After a summer full of environmental monitoring and consulting at my new job here in San Diego, I'm excited to be joining NOAA scientists again out in the South San Diego Bay - looking for our green sea turtles once more! We'll start the 2009-2010 monitoring season in November, and are eager to see what the turtles have in store for us this year. Will we catch fewer than last year? More? Will we find more young turtles? Can we get some GPS tags to stay on longer? Will Wrinklebutt make an appearance?!

And just to clarify the title of this post, the sea turtles don't all necessarily leave San Diego Bay in the summer. If you revisit the past few blog posts, you'll recall that the turtles are simply in different parts of the Bay, and many of them do seem to venture to other parts of San Diego (I know some made their way to La Jolla Shores this summer!) - but they meander where they like, as this is the life of a sea turtle! And besides, the warm summer waters help facilitate the growth of some intense algae, making the standard turtle-capture methods quite difficult to execute, so the scientists don't attempts to capture the turtles during the warm months.

(Photo: NMFS Permit #1591)

But now fall is in the air - and despite the 80 degree weather - the red leaves outside my window confirm that the temperatures will be cooling down, and it's almost time to go "turtling" again!

This fall and winter I will continue to post updates to this blog (much more frequently than this summer!) to share with all my San Diego Sea Turtle friends what the turtles and their dedicated researchers are up to this year.

And so, to keep us all interested, I leave you with some photos from last year, and invite you to review the findings from last year's monitoring season - and to wish me luck as I work on making the final edits with my NOAA advisor to our paper we're planning on publishing soon!

The Story of San Diego's Sea Turtles - 2008-2009 Season

Part 1: Status of Green Sea Turtles in the Eastern Pac ific

Part 2: Green Sea Turtles in San Diego Bay

Part 3: Turtle "Catchability" Appears to be Declining - What Does This Mean?

Part 4: Why is "Catchability" Declining? What Is Changing?

Part 5: The Likely Explanation

Part 6: What Will Happen Once The Power Plant Shuts Down?

Photos: NMFS Permit #1591

An oldie but a goodie

2009-09-04T08:23:00.000-07:00

The San Diego sea turtles have gotten some new attention from the press! And when it comes to conservation and awareness - this is a good thing.

Issue 3 - Spring 2008 of Wetpixel (www.wetpixelquarterly.com) had a great article "The Green Giants of San Diego: Ancient mariners defy industrial chaos and urban sprawl" by Christopher Bahnsen and shared with the underwater photography and conservation world, some of the work NOAA scientists have been doing on this local population of San Diego sea turtles.

This month, the article has been picked up by EMagazine.com. The slightly different twist on the story "Saving the Green Giants: California's Supersized Turtles Raise Questions about Altered Habitats" also by Bahnsen, talks about much of the research (if you've followed this blog) that we've been looking into.

Conservation, especially in an urban setting, relies on people's willingness to protect natural resources. From charismatic creatures like sea turtles and dolphins, to appealing seafood like halibut and lobster, to the unglamours habitats of marshes and seagrass - they are all interconnected and depend on human choices for their continued existance. Articles like this one, that highlight the hard work being done by scientists on the front-line of conservation, help to increase awareness of habitats, creatures, and even economic resources that may otherwise go unnoticed.

I applaud the efforts of those who help to spread the word and engage the public and decision makers alike. For all the laws in place to protect our resources, it still comes down to individuals making small choices that cumulatively have a large impact. I applaud those business owners too who go the extra mile to protect the resources around them and strive to improve their own business practices. Efforts underway to align incentives with conservation must continue for marshes and seagrass beds to persist, because those habitats are where juvenile halibut and lobster grow into the food we enjoy eating, and it is where childhood favorites like green sea turtles eat and grow in an effort to avoid extinction.

(Author out kayaking the SD Bay for Operation Clean Sweep - see the South Bay Power Plant in the distance. Also discovered a wonderful saltmarsh with amazing birds, crabs, snails, gobies & more!)

Part 6: What will happen once the power plant shuts down?

2009-07-22T12:37:00.000-07:00

The big question of many who have read this story: What will happen once the power plant shuts down?

At this point, a simple answer is best: the turtles will most likely be just fine - and scientists will continue monitoring them to make sure that will be the case.

Sea turtles have existed on Earth for over 100 million years, and the warm water ceasing to be discharged from the SBPP will change the habitat of that part of the South San Diego Bay; but there will still be suitable habitats in the bay for the turtles.

What we might see is a change in where we see the turtles, and when we see the turtles.

If the turtles change location, this would be a spatial shift; if the turtles change the time of year we see them, that would be a seasonal shift.

A likely spatial shift:
For the past 30 years, the sea turtles of San Diego have been highly concentrated in the discharge channel (see red section to the left) (Dutton & McDonald, 1992). But once the power plant shuts down, the draw to that particular area of the bay will be eliminated, and the turtles may be just as likely to be in other shallow-water areas of the south bay - not just the discharge channel.

A possible seasonal shift:
When the power plant is operating, the water temperature during the winter stays warmer than it would naturally. By eliminating the warm-water source, the temperature of the bay during the winter may be too cool. In response, the turtles may avoid the San Diego Bay during the winter, stay in shallow areas where the water is warmer, or we may even witness the turtles exhibiting "hibernation" as has been observed in lagoons of Baja (Felger et al., 1976; Hochscheid et al., 2007).

Likewise, when the power plant is operating, the water during the summer becomes too warm. We may begin to observe the turtles in the bay more during summer months, and less during winter months.

(See image of scenarios of seasonal shifts. Top row: Winter and Summer WITH operating power plant. Bottom row: Winter and Summer WITHOUT operating power plant. Icons represent possible shifts in turtle distribution.)

Continued research on this population of sea turtles will help answer these questions and ensure that this endangered species is protected for generations of San Diegans to enjoy.

Cited works:

Dutton, P. & D. McDonald. 1992. Ultrasonic Tracking of Sea Turtles In San Diego Bay. In J.I. Richardson and T.H. Richardson (Compilers), Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual Workshop on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation (pp. 218-221). Washington DC: NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFC-361.

Felger, R., K. Cliffton, & P. Regal. 1976. Winter Dormancy in Sea Turtles: Independent Discovery and Exploitation in the Gulf of California by Two Local Cultures. Science , 191 (4224), 283-285.

Hochscheid, S., F. Bentivegna, M. Bradai & G. Hays. 2007. Overwintering behaviour in sea turtles: dormancy is optional. Marine Ecology Progress Series, (340) 287-298.

Part 5: The Likely Explanation

2009-07-11T09:29:00.000-07:00

Picking up from Part 4, if the same number of turtles are still in the San Diego Bay, and they are not actively avoiding our nets, then it is possible that the turtles have changed their distribution in the south part of the SD Bay. That is, they may have changed where they hang out (rest, sleep, eat) - which could explain why fewer turtles are being caught by NOAA scientists when the nets stay in the same place but the turtles are elsewhere in the bay. Here I explore this likely explanation for the turtle's apparent decline in catchability.

Green sea turtles are tropical animals, preferring warm water in the 70s (F). During the winter, the Pacific ocean along San Diego's coast can get quite cool, dropping into the 50s. During this time, the water in the San Diego Bay also drops, typically in the 50s and 60s - making the bay's water a bit cooler than the tropical sea turtles might prefer.

However, the South Bay Power Plant (SBPP), when it is running, discharges warmed water into the south end of the SD Bay, which creates a pocket of warmer water - sometimes up to 20 degrees (F), but usually closer to 8-10 degrees (F) warmer than the rest of the surrounding water. This discharge water (see figure to the left for representation) creates a warm-water refuge for the sea turtles, especially during the winter months (December-March) when the bay's water would otherwise be quite cold.

(The green line represents a general typical daily patters of previously tagged sea turtles - Seminoff, Lyon & Eguchi, 2006. The green circles represent where the nets are typically set and where turtles are known to feed.)

If the power plant is operating at levels lower than historical operating levels, then less warm water is being discharged into the bay. Operating since 1960 and scheduled to be shut down in the next few years, the SBPP uses dated technology and is gradually being phased-out. The impact of this policy decision on the population of sea turtles is that the warm water refuge (the pocket of warm water created by the plant’s discharge) is becoming smaller and its presence is becoming less predictable.

This means that the turtles have less incentive to concentrate in the discharge channel where NOAA scientists have always observed the turtles. The turtles have likely found other areas around the south end of the San Diego Bay that have shallow and therefore warmer water that also suit their needs. This is the likely explanation for why the catchability of these green sea turtles has been declining in recent years.

Stay tuned: Part 6 will go into more detail about the impacts of the SBPP shutting down and what it means for the local San Diego Sea Turtles!

Photo: NMFS Permit #1591
NOAA scientists attaching tags to green sea turtles captured in the discharge channel of the SBPP.

Part 4: Why is "catchability" declining? What is changing?

2009-06-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

Previously we noted that it seems as though the green sea turtles in the San Diego Bay are getting harder to catch, see the number of turtles expected to be caught for each of the past 7 years in the chart to the left.

Three possible explanations for this were presented:

1) The population of sea turtles in the SD Bay is getting smaller
2) The turtles are changing their behavior and are adjusting & avoiding the nets
3) The distribution of the sea turtles in the SD Bay is changing

So, now to take a closer look at these possible reasons for the decreasing catchability. First, we found that the population of resident sea turtles in the San Diego Bay is not getting smaller, it is, in fact, remaining stable. There are approximately 60 green turtles - including new "fresh from the open ocean" juveniles - that feed on the eelgrass in the SD Bay (J. Seminoff & T. Eguchi, pers. comm., 2009). Most of these turtles are thought to be part of the breeding population from Mexico, and they are endangered. Given that the population is stable and NOT decreasing, this is not the reason for the turtles becoming harder to catch.

Second, it is very unlikely that the turtles are actively avoiding the nets used by NOAA scientists to catch the turtles during these monitoring days in the field. The monofiliment that these live-entanglement nets are made from is nearly invisible underwater, plus, the water in the discharge channel (where all of the nets are set) is very murky and has poor visibility. Therefore, this is also a very unlikely reason for the declining catchability.

Finally, it is possible that the turtles have changed their distribution in the south part of the SD Bay - that is, they may have changed where they hang out (rest, sleep, eat) - which could explain why fewer turtles are being caught by NOAA scientists when the nets stay in the same place but the turtles are elsewhere in the bay.

The next post, Part 5, will explore this likely explanation for the turtle's apparent decline in catchability.

Learn all about San Diego's Sea Turtles: This Thursday, May 28th, 6pm

2009-05-27T18:05:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow evening, Thursday, May 28th, at 6:00pm, I will speak at Pro Peninsula's downtown location about San Diego's own sea turtles, their situation in the San Diego Bay, and what it means for the people of San Diego.

Once the South Bay Power Plant is removed, which it will be in the next few years, the south part of the San Diego Bay's ecosystem will change. How will this affect the endangered green sea turtles that are attracted to the warm, tropical-like water that is discharged by the power plant? Join me tomorrow to learn more! (Hint: we will still have sea turtles in the bay once the power plant is gone...)

And once the plant has been removed, the City of Chula Vista and all the residents of San Diego County will have a wonderful opportunity to develop this bayfront land as they see fit. A large range of development options are possible, and sustainable and thoughtful planning CAN make the South Bay setting one that hosts a healthy and diverse ecosystem and wildlife, and at the same time stimulates the local economy and benefits the community.

One great opportunity is increased education for our local youth. Pro Peninsula's education program, Ocean Connectors, is one great example. Frances Kinney, Education Coordinator, will share more about Ocean Connectors and the sea turtles of San Diego Bay.

Join us tomorrow, to learn more about these great ocean creatures, and how you can be involved in protecting these animals and deciding the future of the south bay.

To learn more, visit Pro Peninsula or UCSD's Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (see Announcements), hope to see you there!

Part 3: Turtle "Catchability" Appears to be Declining - What Does This Mean?

2009-05-20T16:41:00.000-07:00

Photo: NOAA SWFSC scientists search for sea turtles in San Diego Bay

First studied in the 1970's, the population of resident San Diego sea turtles has been closely monitored by scientists. Today, researchers from NOAA's Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) and other local universities are supported, largely by the Unified Port of San Diego, and monitor the health, behavior, and well-being of this group of endangered green sea turtles.

In looking at the total number of turtles caught by researchers each year (refer to April 20th blog on how NOAA researchers "catch" the turtles), we noticed that in the past few years, the turtles seemed to be getting harder to catch. Meaning, it took a longer time in recent years, to catch the same number of turtles when compared to previous years.

For example, during the 2002-2003 monitoring season, which usually runs from late October to early May, SWFSC researchers would expect to catch around 4 turtles every day they went out to monitor the turtles. This is often referred to as the Catch-Per-Unit-Effort, or CPUE, and is a common way that fisheries are managed and assessed. So, for the 2002-2003, the CPUE was just over 4 turtles per day.

When you compare that to this year's CPUE, you notice that it was much harder to catch 4 turtles. In fact, the 2008-2009 CPUE was just over 1 turtle per day! I will discuss more about the over all "catchability trend" in a future post, but for now, I will wrap up with the three possible reasons why the "catchability" of the sea turtles in the San Diego Bay is declining.

1- the population of sea turtles is getting smaller
2- the turtles are learning how to avoid the nets that scientists use to catch the turtles
3- the turtles are more spread out in the bay than they used to be.

It turns out that neither #1 or #2 are correct, but that #3 could be part of the explanation.

Stay tuned to the nest post to learn more about these three reasons!

Part 2: Green Sea Turtles in San Diego Bay

2009-05-16T11:04:00.000-07:00

The Eastern Green Sea Turtle, Chelonia mydas, is an endangered species, and while normally found in tropical regions such as Hawaii and Mexico, a population of resident green turtles is found year-round in the San Diego Bay. These animals usually spend most of their time in the southern section of the San Diego Bay, especially near the warm-water effluent (discharge) of the large South Bay Power Plant (see map).

A large earth structure separates where the power plant's intake pipes are from the discharge pipes. This land is now the Chula Vista Wildlife Reserve, and is the primary reason why there have NEVER been any green sea turtles caught in or on the power plant's intake pipes. The turtles are frequently seen on the south side of the land structure, where the warm discharge water creates a warmer-than-normal habitat (see the red area on map). The South San Diego Bay National Wildlife Refuge includes the salt evaporation ponds at the far south end of the bay, and provides additional protection to the sea turtles by requiring slower boat speeds for example.

First studied in detail by graduate student Margie Stinson in the 1980s, the population of San Diego Bay turtles continues to be monitored (Stinson, 1984). Constant observations by NOAA’s NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center and other researchers have added to the body of knowledge on this particular population (Dutton, 1990) (NOAA, NMFS SWFSC, 2008).

The image above was created in Google Earth. The yellow, orange and green coloration show different habitats in the South Bay and was created by the Unified Port of San Diego. Other images added by me include the red coloration depicts, the estimated warm-water plume generated by the power plant, estimated to extend about 5000 ft, to the end of the barge extending from the most western end of the Chula Vista Wildlife Reserve, and the turtle icon show some of the areas that turtles frequently visit.

Explore more of the San Diego Bay with the Unified Port of San Diego's new Google Earth tour of the Bay's natural resources

Sources:

Dutton, P. ( 1990). Sea turtles present in San Diego Bay. In T. J. Richardson (Ed.), Proceedings of the Tenth Annual Workshop on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation (pp. 139-141). Washington DC: NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SEFC-278.

NOAA, NMFS SWFSC. (2008, May 7). Marine Turtle Program. Retrieved December 1, 2008, from NOAA, NMFS Southwest Fisheries Science Center: http://swfsc.noaa.gov/prd-turtles.aspx

Stinson, M. (1984). Biology of sea turtles in San Diego Bay, California, and in the north eastern Pacific Ocean. San Diego State University. San Diego: Master's Thesis.

More infomation: State of the Bay Report.

Part 1: Status of Green Sea Turtles in the Eastern Pacific

2009-05-13T14:41:00.000-07:00

Of the six (or seven, depending on who you ask!) species of sea turtles alive today, the green sea turtle, known as Chelonia mydas, is the species found in the San Diego Bay. The population of green turtles found in these waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean, are Endangered and therefore monitored and protected according to federal law. The group of green sea turtles found in this region of the ocean (from California through Mexico and even South America) have been impacted by harvest (of both turtles and eggs) fishery bycatch, entanglement and ingestion of debris, and even boat collisions. Over the last 30-40 years, this population of green sea turtles has significantly declined.

Common among all sea turtles species, the eastern pacific green sea turtles nest in one location, but eat, or forage, the rest of the year in another location. San Diego bay provides food for the sea turtles who migrate to the central coast of Mexico to nest. Slow growing and long lived, green sea turtles may live to be over 70 years old, and do not reproduce until they are 25-30 years old. Even then, females breed only once every two to three years.

All habitats utilized by the green sea turtles are important, but those habitat known to support either feeding or breeding are of particular significance to the protection and recovery of these endangered animals.

Next, Part 2: Green Sea Turtles in the San Diego Bay

Source:
National Marine Fisheries Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1998. Recovery Plan for U.S. Pacific Populations of the East Pacific Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas).
National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD.

Birch Aquarium Staff Gets to Learn More About San Diego Sea Turtles

2009-05-07T18:43:00.000-07:00

On May 6th, I was fortunate enough to chat with some of the staff and volunteers from the Birch Aquarium's education program and share with them what type of research I have been doing with the sea turtles in the San Diego Bay - and about the social, political, and even economic impacts of the research.

Given my background in marine education, it was a great chance to come full-circle and make that connection between why research is conducted, and what it means at the social and political levels - not just at the scientific level.

It was a great way for research and its social implications to be shared and discussed with a group of people who regularly interface with the public and share the wonders of our oceans with kids and adults everyday.

After 30 minutes of hearing about the following aspects from me:

What turtles we have in California waters,
How these endangered animals are regulated and protected,
What NOAA scientists do when monitoring the turtles in the San Diego Bay,
What potential changes are expected once the power plant in the south end of the bay shuts down and stops discharging warm water which, especially during the winter months, creates a warm water refuge for the Eastern Pacific Green Sea Turtles,
How the entire situation presents a potentially wonderful opportunity for citizens in San Diego - considering the expected changes that will occur in the South Bay once the large power plant is removed in the next few years, and
That future development CAN embrace the endangered sea turtles, and the entire ecosystem of the South Bay, as a BENEFIT, it does not have to be a burden planning around a protected species.

There were wonderful questions and discussions about:

General sea turtle biology and behaviors
How many sea turtles are in the San Diego Bay? (Answer: around 60)
Specifics on what shifts may be expected from the sea turtles once the power plant closes
Education and volunteer opportunities for SD students, residents and visitors
and much more!

The big question: will the sea turtles stay in San Diego?

Answer: The good news on all of the initial research is that we expect the turtles to still visit us in San Diego even once the warm water from the power plant is gone. The south end of the San Diego Bay will continue to provide a safe and warm place for the sea turtles to visit and the eelgrass which they enjoy eating will still be available - even if it means they just change the time of the year they are around, and where they spend most of their time.

Many thanks again for the chance to talk with the staff of this wonderful organization! And to those who would like to join me for my next talk - see below for details on the May 28th talk at Pro Peninsula!

Come learn about San Diego's Sea Turtles! May 28th, 6pm

2009-05-04T17:06:00.001-07:00

Come join me, and Educator Coordinator Frances Kinney of Pro Peninsula's Ocean Connectors program, on Thursday evening, May 28th, to learn more about the endangered Eastern Pacific Green Sea Turtles!

Located at Pro Peninsula in downtown San Diego, we'll share the research being done to monitor these charismatic turtles, and how these findings help to inform policy decisions - especially in regards to the South Bay Power Plant and future development of the Chula Vista bayfront - and how the turtles and the research also serve as a tool to engage the local students!

Marine turtles, like these in San Diego Bay, provide an opportunity to increase the social benefits of local natural ecosystems and resources - come join us on May 28th to find out more!

Visit www.propeninsula.org for more details!

Video: Taken by author in the Caribbean. The behavior of this green sea turtle surfacing to breathe and then returning to the ocean floor to rest is very similar to the behavior we expect from the green sea turtles in San Diego Bay. Much of the day they are eating, resting, and breathing at the surface as needed.

Sea Turtles + Eelgrass = Healthy Environment

2009-04-24T08:18:00.000-07:00

Photo: Sea turtle foraging (eating) in the Caribbean.

Sea turtles in the San Diego Bay seem to mostly feed on eelgrass which is found in throughout shallower parts of the bay. In the southern part of the bay, south of Sweetwater Marsh, where the turtles spend most of their time, the eelgrass seems to grow in shallow areas ranging from a depth of 0-7 feet. Called "eelgrass beds", these sea turtle feeding areas are very important habitats for other animals living in and around the bay.

Young fish, crabs, lobsters and more use the eelgrass beds to grow before moving on to other habitats like the open ocean. When sea turtles eat the eelgrass, they act like "lawnmowers" and keep the beds healthy and growing. By maintaining these important habitats, fish and other animals in the water can use the eelgrass as protection from predators, a food source, and a nursery. Fish found in the south bay include California halibut, Spotted & Barred Sand Bass, Striped Mullet and Kelpfish - among many others.

Eelgrass also helps keep the water clear! Because eelgrass can grow to be a few feet in length, it can slow down movements in the water that might otherwise stir up the fine sand on the bottom that makes the water murky. And because it has roots - just like normal grass - it helps trap and hold down the sand and other fine sediments.

Finally, if the water is too polluted, the eelgrass cannot grow. During the 1940s-1960s, eelgrass beds shrank and pretty much disappeared as a result of marine pollution. But when changes began to occur to improve the quality of the bay's water (like eliminating sewage deposition in 1963) the eelgrass began to grow again.

So, when we have sea turtles in the bay, we know we have eelgrass in the bay, and that the ecosystem is doing alright!

Happy Earth Day, everyone!

Key Reference: The San Diego Bay Integrated Natural Resources Management Plan (INRMP)

Since the sea turtles in the San Diego Bay don't come out of the water, how do scientists study them?

2009-04-20T15:23:00.000-07:00

Sea turtles, as their name implies, are marine animals and spend almost ALL of their time in the ocean. The exception is when females nest on beaches, or when individuals bask, or rest, on the sand to warm up - this is common in places like Hawai'i, especially where there are not too many disturbances, like people or pets. But in San Diego, the turtles stay in the water all the time, they only eat here, they don't nest or breed here. So this can make it difficult for scientists to study this groups of sea turtles.

What researchers do instead, is use large nets, designed specifically to capture but not harm the sea turtles. And because green sea turtles are endangered and are protected by the Endangered Species Act, researchers have permits and use special techniques when working with the turtles. Always on the water and watching the nets, researchers bring the caught turtles into the small research boat, and then bring the sea turtles onto shore. A typical "exam" done by the scientists includes weighing and measuring the turtle, taking samples for DNA and contaminant testing, and tagging the turtle so its movement can be monitored.

More information coming soon on the different ways San Diego's sea turtles are tagged and tracked.

When all the information about the turtles has been recorded, the nets are removed from the water, and the turtles are released back into the bay where they were found.

This type of information is especially important in light of near-future bayfront development that will be taking place along the south bay once the power plant is shut down. More coming soon on how this research impacts San Diego residents too!

For more pictures, on how the turtles are caught, weighed and measured, visit NOAA's website: http://swfsc.noaa.gov/textblock.aspx?Division=PRD&ParentMenuId=212&id=4378

What does the South Bay Power Plant have to do with Sea Turtles?

2009-04-14T13:54:00.000-07:00

Photo: NMFS Permit # 1591

Eastern Pacific Green Sea Turtles live in warm water areas of the Pacific Ocean including the San Diego Bay. Eelgrass, a favorite food of green sea turtles, grows in the bay and is also a sign of a healthy and diverse ecosystem that can support young fish, crabs, lobster and more! You can even rent kayaks and paddle around the south end of the bay and see a sea turtle popping up its head to breathe! The power plant at the end of the bay discharges warm water that the turtles like to visit – they are often seen resting at the “jacuzzi”!

The South Bay Power Plant, scheduled to be taken off-line in the next few years, will then no longer discharge warm water into the Bay. Sea turtles are endangered animals, protected by the Endangered Species Act, and to understand the impacts of these policy changes, scientists study San Diego’s sea turtles and the Bay’s environment.

Population remaining stable
Location of sea turtles different
Movement patterns changing
Behaviors are slightly different
Sea turtles are not harmed

Come join me at a local talk, or email/post comments to learn more!

Come learn about San Diego's Sea Turtles! End of May!

2009-04-09T13:33:00.000-07:00

I will be giving multiple presentations around San Diego, to tell the neat story about these ancient reptiles that live in our backyard!

The final talk I will be giving will be held at the end of May, together with Pro Peninsula. Stay tuned for more details.

If you are from a school, nature or environmental group and would like to arrange a presentation at your facility for April-May - please contact me, as this will be for offered during April and May only.

Learn more about Pro Peninsula too at: http://www.propeninsula.org/

Interested in learning about San Diego's Sea Turtles?

2009-04-06T13:15:00.000-07:00

As part of my Capstone project for my Masters', I will be making multiple presentations and informal talks to help increase the awareness about the research going on to learn about these great creatures in San Diego, and how these turtles can actually help our local community, while we can also help protect these endangered animals and many, many more animals and resources that live in our coastal and open ocean habitats.

I will be announcing the dates, times and locations of these talks very soon. Check back to the blog to learn more, or follow SDSeaTurtles on Twitter to get updates on San Diego's Sea Turtles and up coming talks.

Questions and Comments? Post below, or send an email to me at: SDSeaTurtles@gmail.com

Did you know that there are sea turtles in San Diego?!

2009-04-06T13:08:00.000-07:00

Most people, even life-long San Diegans, are unaware of these amazing creatures living right in our back yard!

This population of Eastern Pacific Green Sea Turtles have been studied by scientists since 1990.

Stay tuned to learn more about the research taking place to learn more about these incredible marine animals, and how their well-being can actually provide many benefits to those of us land-dwellers living and vacationing in San Diego.