Thousands of sardines die at San Onofre nuclear plant

sign on san diego ^ | 2/4/04

[knak]

SAN ONOFRE, Calif., – Thousands of large sardines, some up to a foot long, died this week when they were sucked into intake tunnels at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, officials said.

About 13,500 pounds of the thin, silvery fish were killed in a 24-hour period between Monday and Tuesday, said Ray Golden, spokesman for Southern California Edison, which is the majority owner of the plant.

The fish appeared to have been swimming near shore to escape choppy seas off the coast of northern San Diego County, Golden said Wednesday.

The mass fish deaths were an oddity, according to Golden. He said that in an average day about 200 pounds of fish die when they become pinned against screens installed to filter out kelp, shells and sand. This week's fatalities numbered more than half the daily amount caught by commercial fishing vessels.

"It was a confluence of events – the stormy weather, the fact that they were schooling and looking for food and the fact that the water was cloudy and they couldn't see the tunnels as well," he said.

The intake tunnels run about three-quarters of a mile into the ocean and draw water into the plant to cool the steam that powers its generators, Golden said.

He said operations at the plant were not affected.

Mark Cousineau, president of the San Clemente chapter of Surfrider Foundation, called the incident a "weird one."

"Obviously we're concerned about the loss of marine life in plants like this, but this seems more like an accident," he said.

The San Onofre plant has a safeguard to protect marine life that gets sucked into its tunnels. Generally 90 percent of fish that come through the system are released through a "fish elevator" that moves them out of the pipes and back into the ocean, Golden said.

Edison reported the deaths to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, a standard procedure when more than 4,500 pounds of fish are killed in a day.

The last time that many fish died was in 1999, when 4,800 pounds were killed on the tunnel screens, Golden said.

The dead sardines will be dried and taken to a landfill.

[knak]

Just thought everyone should know this!

[ClearCase_guy]

My God, it's worse than Chernobyl! More deaths caused by nuclear power! Stop the madness!

[Cicero]

Stupid sardines missed the "fish elevator."

[socal_parrot]

Oh the humanity...er...fishity!!!

[T. P. Pole]

Thousands of large sardines, some up to a foot long

Hmmm, which line do I use . . ?

"Are they sure the nuke plant isn't leaking?"

-or-

"How do they get them into the tins?"

[VOA]

Thousands of sardines die at San Onofre nuclear plant

"The horror...the horror..."
At least that's what today's bloated Colonel Kurtz (Marlon Brando) would probably
say at the thought of all those munchy little fishies not being available
for the next buffet...

[VOA]

Oh the humanity...er...fishity!!!

Who sez you need burning hydrogen gas for a real tragedy?

Can't wait to hear PETA and the fish-rights groups to freak out over this...

[hellinahandcart]

Just thought everyone should know this!

Thanks! I never knew sardines could be a foot long!

[Riley]

Why do I have to always find stories like this when I'm hungry?

[quantim]

He said that in an average day about 200 pounds of fish

200 lbs?  Michael Moore could afford to lose 200 lbs., let's keep this kill in perspective.

[drjimmy]

Thousands of large sardines, some up to a foot long, died this week when they were sucked into intake tunnels at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, officials said.
They must have been packed into the tunnels like...well, you know.

The dead sardines will be dried and taken to a landfill.
Can't be dumping any wet sardines now, can we.

[xJones]

Thousands of large sardines, some up to a foot long, died this week when they were sucked into intake tunnels at the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, officials said.

They died, packed in like sardines. Oh wait a minute, they were sardines.....

[socal_parrot]

The San Onofre Noo-cue-lar Power Plant...
Nice Domes!

[amom]

all your fish are belong to us

[RichInOC]

...or as I like to call it, "Madonna's Bra".

[knak]

I don't know, but a foot long sardine might do the trick.

[socal_parrot]

Dang...I would have bet I would have gotten a Janet Jackson joke before a Madonna joke.

[68-69TonkinGulfYachtClub]

LOL!!

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

Oh the manatee of it!

[GeronL]

OMG!!!!

OMG!!!

I mean OMG!!!

Not the sardines!!!

we should go visit.... someone bring crackers?? or better yet, cats??