Field work was limited to monitoring permanent

intertidal and subtidal stations. Only a few

stations were surveyed due to a long series of

winter storms which produced large seas.

Office and laboratory work was devoted to completing computer data sheets for keypunching, completing the 1976/77 annual report and several quarterly reports, and processing the remaining algae samples collected at subtidal and intertidal stations in 1977.

Sea otter activity increased in South Cove and

Diablo Cove where sea otters were observed on

five out of 20 observation days.  (11pp.

Gotshall, Daniel W.

Grant, John J.

Laurent, Laurence L.

English

Aquatic Commons


QUARTERLY REPORT NO. 1 9  
January 1 - March 31, 1978 
Daniel W. Gotsha l l  
Laurence L. Laurent 
and 
John J.   ran&/ 
Al3 STRACT 
F i e l d  work was l i m i t e d  t o  monitor ing permanent 
i n t e r t i d a l  and s u b t i d a l  s t a t i o n s .  Only a f e w  
s t a t i o n s  were surveyed due t o  a long series of 
w in te r  s torms which produced l a r g e  seas. 
O f f i c e  and l abo ra to ry  work was devoted t o  com- 
p l e t i n g  computer d a t a  s h e e t s  f o r  keypunching, 
completing t h e  1976/77 annual  r e p o r t  and 
s e v e r a l  q u a r t e r l y  r e p o r t s ,  and process ing  t h e  
rermining a lgae  samples c o l l e c t e d  a t  s u b t i d a l  
and i n t e r t i d a l  s t a t i o n s  i n  1977. 
Sea o t t e r  a c t i v i t y  i nc reased  i n  South Cove and 
Diablo Cove where sea o t t e r s  were observed on 
f i v e  out  of 20 obse rva t ion  days. 
11 Marine Resources Adminis t ra t ive  Report No. 78-10, May 1978. 
- 
21 Opera t ions  Research Branch, Post  Office. Box 98, 
- 
Avi la  Beach, C a l i f o r n i a  93424. 
This  is t h e  1 9 t h  q u a r t e r l y  r e p o r t  submit ted i n  p a r t i a l  fulfillment 
of  Research Contract  No. 5-26-77 between t h e  Department of F i s h  and Game 
and t h e  P a c i f i c  Gas and E l e c t r i c  Company. Through t h i s  c o n t r a c t ,  t h e  
Department of F ish  and Game i s  t o  conduct e c o l o g i c a l  monitor ing s t u d i e s  t o  
determine what changes have occurred s i n c e  1970 and 1971 i n  t h e  b a s e l i n e  
inventory  of t he  marine b i o t a ,  w i t h  s p e c i e s  r e f e rences  t o  f i s h e s  and 
abalones.  
Quar te r ly  r e p o r t s  w i l l  b e  followed by annual  r e p o r t s .  Full. t a b l e s  
and spec i e s  l ists w i l l  be included i n  each  annual  r e p o r t .  
Submitted To: 
Nolan H .  Daines, Vice P r e s i d e n t  
Planning and Research Department 
P a c i f i c  Gas and E l e c t r i c  Company 
77 Beale S t r e e t  
San Francisco,  CA 94106 
Submitted By: 
John Radovich, Chief 
Operat ions Research Branch 
C a l i f o r n i a  Department of F i s h  and Game 
1416 Ninth S t r e e t  
Sacramento, CA 95814 
INZ'RODUCTIO~ 
A long s e r i e s  of w in te r  stornls c u r t a i l e d  most of o u r  f i e l d  work. 
I n t e r t i d a l  surveys  w e r e  hampered by l a r g e  storm-generated seas and sub- 
t i d a l  a c t i v i t y  was imposs ib le  due t o  t h e  rough d i r t y  wa te r .  
Our q u a r t e r l y  r e p o r t s  a r e  i n t e r i m  p rog res s  r e p o r t s  and do no t  f ~ ~ s l c t i . o n  
as Departmeat of F i sh  and G a m e  environmental  impact r e p o r t s .  
OPERATIONS 
Most of  our  t i n e  w a s  concent ra ted  on coxp lc t ing  a l l  o f  t h e  d a t a  
s h e e t s  f o r  lieypurzching . Several  c l iscussions w e r e  h e l d  w i t h  Department 
s t a t i s t i c i a l l s  regard ing  a n a l y s i s  metllods of t h e  d a t a  f o r  t h e  f i n a l  r e p o r t  . 
Process ing  of t h e  remaining i n t e r t i d a l  and s u b t i d a l  a l g a e  samples cont inued 
at  a r ap id  pace wi th  t h e  h i r i n g  of two graduate  s t u d e n t  a s s i s t a n t s .  W e  
hope t o  coraplete t h e  process ing  by t b e  end of May. Seve ra l  permanent 
s t a t i o n s  were remarked and surveyed. Only one permanent s u b t i d a l  s t a t i o n  
w a s  survcyed. 
NETBODS 
Permanent Sub t i d a l  S t a t i o n s  
Two d i v e r s  count s e l e c t e d  s p e c i e s  of i n v e r t e b r a t e s  and brown a l g a e  1 m 
t o  e i t h e r  s i d e  of a 30-m t r a n s e c t  (60-m2 a r e a ) .  F i shes  observed i n  t h e  
a r e a  a r e  a l s o  recorded. 
Permanent I n t e r t i d a l  S t a t i o n s  
Counts a r e  made of abalones l m  t o  e i t h e r  s i d e  of t h e  t r a n s e c t .  Each 
t r a n s e c t  v a r i e s  i n  l e n g t h  from about 25 t o  30 m. A t  some permanent i n t e r -  
t i d a l  s t a t i o n s ,  w e  a l s o  make counts  of s e l e c t e d  macro-invertebrates .  
Sea O t t e r s  
Counts a r e  made w i t h  b inocu la r s  u s u a l l y  once d a i l y ,  weather  pern l l t t ing ,  
i n  t h e  Lion Rock Cove, Diablo Cove,and South Cove. 
NORTH CONTROL AND PEWQaEXT CONTROL STATIONS 
S u b t i d a l  A c t i v i t i e s  
I n v e r t e b r a t e s  
Resul t s  
The long series of w in te r  s torms prevented us  from completing surveys  
of t h e  permanent s t a t i o n s .  
I n t e r t i d a l  A c t i v i t i e s  
No random i n t e r t i d a l  s t a t i o n s  in the n o r t h  c o n t r o l  a r e a  were surveyed 
du r ing  t h i s  q u a r t e r .  Sampling has  been r e s t r i c t e d  t o  monitor ing of  per- 
manent s t a t i o n s .  J u s t  one of t h e  two c o n t r o l  s t a t i o n s  n o r t h  of Diablo Cove 
was surveyed f o r  abalone (Figure 1 ) .  
The permanent c o n t r o l  s t a t i o n  south  of Diablo Cove, s t a t i o n  P-3, w a s  
a l s o  surveyed dur ing  t h i s  q u a r t e r .  
Resu l t s  
The counts  a t  s t a t i o n  P-1 were -229 b lack  abalone and 0 r e d  abalone which 
compares c l o s e l y  t o  ave-rage counts  from t h e  previous  fou r  surveys  of 221 
black abalone and 2 r ed  abalone. I n  a d d i t i o n  t o  t h e  counts ,  l e n g t h  measure- 
ments were made on 99 of t he  229 animals .  
The count f o r  b l ack  abalone w a s  53 which compared c l o s e l y  t o  t h e  
average of 58 abalone from t h e  previous  s i x  surveys.  
Algae 
Resu l t s  
Since no random surveys w e r e  conducted dur ing  t h i s  pe r iod ,  no 
a l g a e  samples were taken.  
FIGUIU 1 ,  Locations of pcnnaneiit s u h t i d a l  a r~d  i u t e r t i c l d  s t n t . i o n s  - L)Lablo Canyon 
Power I'lant S l t e .  ~ t h t i o n s  1, 2, 3,  P2, P 3  are i n t c r t i d ~ i l ;  Stat-SOLIS 6 ,  
7, 8, 9 ,  LO, 11, 1 2 ,  15,  16 arc s u b t i d a l ;  S t a t i o n s  1 3  and 1 4  are abandoned. 
Sea Otters 
There w e r e  21 obse rva t ion  days i n  t h i s  q u a r t e r .  Most o t t e r  s i .gh t ings  
were i n  South Cove (41 s i g h t i n g s )  and North Cove (17 s i g h t i n g s )  c o n t r o l  
a r e a s .  The l a r g e s t  aggrega t ion  observed on any one day occurred  on March 1 
i n  t h e  South Cove a r e a  when 1 2  o t t e r s  were s i g h t e d .  
Most s igh t?ngs  have occurred i n  t h e  l a t t e r  p a r t  of t h e  q u a r t e r .  Of 
t h e  58 s i g h t i n g s  i n  c o n t r o l  areas, 5 1  occurred  dur ing  t h e  1 0  obse rva t ion  
days i n  March. 
The most common s e a  o t t e r  a c t i v i t y  dur ing  obse rva t ion  pe r iods  was 
foraging ,  The most commonly observed food i t e m  w a s  r ed  abalone (HaZiotis 
mfescens) . 
Discussion 
The i n c r e a s e  i n  o t t e r  s j g h t i n g s  dur ing  March i s  probably due t o  a 
northward movement of t h e  l a r g e  r a f t  t h a t  had been l o c a t e d  a t  Pecho Rock. 
This  group of o t t e r s  has  d i spe r sed  soxnewhat and has  moved c l o s e r  t o  our  sou th  
c o n t r o l  a r e a .  A r a f t  of approximately 40 o t t e r s  i s  now l o c a t e d  o f f  Green 
Peak, one-half mi le  south  of t h e  South Cove area. 
NORTH DIABLO COVE 
I n t e r t i d a l  A c t i v i t i e s  
Only permanent s t a t i o n s  2A and 2B were' surveyed h e r e  du r ing  t h e  
per tod  . 
Algae 
R e s u l t s  
No a l g a e  samples were taken du r ing  t h i s  q u a r t e r .  
I n v e r t e b r a t e s  
Resu l t s  
The counts  a long  t r a n s e c t  2A were 291 black abalone and 8 red  
abalone;  a long t r a n s e c t  2B t h e r e  were 101  b l ack  abalone and 3 r ed  
abalone.  I n  a d d i t i o n  t o  t h e  counts ,  l e n g t h  measurelnents were made on 
71 b lack  abalone a long  t r a n s e c t  2A and on 60 b l ack  and 1 red  abalones 
a long  t r a n s e c t  2B. 
Discussion 
Numbers of r ed  and b lack  abalones along s t a t i o n  2A have n o t  changed 
s i g n i f i c a n t l y  from previous surveys.  However, t h e  counts  f o r  bo th  b l acks  
and r e d s  a long  t r a n s e c t  2B  a r e  t h e  lowest  s i n c e  t h e  1974 survey when they 
were 113  and 3 f o r  b l ack  abalone and red  abalone,  r e s p e c t i v e l y .  The 
reason(s )  f o r  t h i s  apparent  d e c l i n e  a r e  unknown b u t  may be r e l a t e d  t o  move- 
ment of abalone boulder  h a b i t a t  by s t r o n g  win te r  s torm waves and/or  movement 
of  t h e  abalones themselves. 
SOUTH D I B L O  COVE 
Sub t ida l  A c t i v i t i e s  
Permanent s t a t i o n  No. 16  was r e loca t ed  and surveyed. 
Resu l t s  
The l a r g e  amounts of sand observed i n  t h i s  a r e a  dur ing  t h e  p a s t  two 
yea r s  have disappeared.  F a i r  numbers of r e d  abalone were observed on and 
n e a r  t h e  s t a t i o n  beneath rocks  t h a t  w e r e  p r ev ious ly  p a r t i a l l y  bu r i ed  by t h e  
sand. 
F i s h  
Resu l t s  
W e  observed our  f i r s t  a d u l t  opaleye, GireZZa n i g r i c a n s ,  i n  Diablo Cove 
at permanent s t a t i o n  16. The f i s h ,  approximately 35 crn i n  l e n g t h w a s  h id ing  
beneath a l a r g e  boulder.  Other f i s h  observed on t h i s  d i v e  inc luded  g r a s s  
rock f i sh ,  Sebas tes  rastreZZ$ger; b l a c k  and yel low r o c k f i s h ,  S. 
chrysomeZas; gopher rock f i sh ,  S. c a m a t u s ;  j u v e n i l e  b l u e  
rockf ish ,  S. mysti?zus ; cabezon, Scoryaenichthys nzarmoratus ; Icelpf i s h ,  
Gibbonsia s p  . ; kelp greenling,  Hexagrammos d e c a g ~ ~ m u s  ; e z o r i t  a ,  
OqjuZis cal i fomica;  p i l e  sur fperch ,  DamaZichthys vacca; and s t r i p e d  
surfperch,  Embiotocc ZateraZis. 
I n t e r t i d a l  A c t i v i t i e s  
Sea Otters 
Resul t s  
Only 5 s igh t ings  of o t t e r s  i n  South Diablo Cove occurred dur ing  20 
observat ion days t h i s  qua r t e r .  Four of these  s i g h t i n g s  occurred i n  March. 
APPENDIX I 
MAN-DAYS SPENT AT DIAI3LO CANYON POWER PLANT SITE 
January 1 -- March 31, 1978 
I n t e r t i d a l  Surveys: - 
Sub t ida l  Survevs: 
January 25 
P a r t i c i p a n t s  : Laurent ,  Go t sha l l  
February 1 5  
P a r t i c i p a n t s :  Laurent  , Gotsha l l  
March 1 
P a r t i c i p a n t s  : Gotsha l l ,  Laurent  , Grant 
March 1 7  
P a r t i c i p a n t s :  Gotsha l l ,  Laurent  
March 20 - 21 
P a r t i c i p a n t s :  Gotsha l l ,  Laurent ,  Grant 
T o t a l  Man-Days During Quarter:  290 
T o t a l  Man-Days a t  Si te*:  258 
T o t a l  S t a t i o n s  Surveyed: 1+ 
Trave l  Time Man-Days** : 22 
Boat Time (Hours): 18.4 
* Excludes t i m e  o f f  f o r  vaca t ion ,  s i c k  l eave ,  etc. b u t  i nc ludes  
both  l a b o r a t o r y  a s  w e l l  as f i e l d  time. 
** Inc ludes  all .  t r i p s  away from site.  
P r o j e c t  Personnel:  
Daniel  W. Go t sha l l  
Laurence L. Laurent  
John J .  Grant 
S a l l y  A .  Barker 
Rosemary C. Bowker 
Steven W. Wil-ey 
Sen io r  Warine B i o l o g i s t ,  P r o j e c t  Leader 
Assoc ia t e  Marine B i o l o g i s t  
A s s i s t a n t  Marine B i o l o g i s t  
Stenographer  
Graduate Student  A s s i s t a n t  
Graduate Student  A s s i s t a n t  


Diablo Canyon power plant site ecological study Quarterly Report no. 19: January 1 - March 31, 1978

http://aquaticcommons.org/51/1/Marine_Resources_Administrative_Report_No%5B1%5D._78-10.pdf

Diablo Canyon power plant site ecological study Quarterly Report no. 19: January 1 - March 31, 1978

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