Journal of Environmental Biology

Distribution of a pelagic tunicate, Salpa fusiformis in warm surface current of the eastern Korean waters and its impingement on cooling water intakes
of Uljin nuclear power plant

Jinho Chae^*1, Hyun Woo Choi², Woo Jin Lee², Dongsung Kim² and Jae Hac Lee²

¹Korea Environmental Research Center for Hydrosphere, 634-1 Yi dong, Sangnok gu, Ansan, Gyeonggi do 426-857, Republic of Korea
²Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, Ansan, P.O. Box 29, Seoul 425-600,Republic of Korea

(Received: February 22, 2007; Revised received:  April 14, 2008; Accepted: April 18, 2008)

Abstract: Impingement of a large amount of gelatinous plankton, Salpa fusiformis on the seawater intake system-screens in a nuclear power plant at Uljin was firstly recorded on 18th June 2003. Whole amount of the clogged animals was estimated were presumptively at 295 tons and the shortage of cooling seawater supply by the animal clogging caused 38% of decrease in generation capability of the power plant. Zooplankton collection with a multiple towing net during the day and at night from 5 to 6 June 2003 included various gelatinous zooplanktons known to be warm water species such as salps and siphonophores. Comparatively larger species, Salpa fusiformis occupied 25.4% in individual density among the gelatinous plankton and showed surface distribution in the depth shallower than thermocline, performing little diel vertical migration. Temperature, salinity and satellite data also showed warm surface current predominated over the southern coastal region near the power plant in June. The results suggested that warm surface current occasionally extended into the neritic region may transfer S. fusiformis, to the waters off the power plant. The environmental factors and their relation to ecobiology of the large quantity of salpa population that are being sucked into the intake channel of the power plant are discussed.

Key words: Salpa fusiformis, Depth distribution, Power plant impingement, Cooling water intakes

PDF of full length paper is available with author (jchae@ketch.co.kr)

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