An Oregon resident, Connor Seifert, 27, faces charges for allegedly catching and mishandling protected shark species, specifically the bluntnose sixgill and broadnose sevengill, in Puget Sound. The Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife released body camera footage of an officer stopping Seifert in June in Pierce County, Washington.
The officer informed Seifert of the regulations, stating, “You can’t fully or partially remove sixgill from the water. When you wrestle a sixgill to shore like that, you expose its gills to the air.” Seifert was reminded that Puget Sound serves as a nursery for these sharks, and such actions can harm the shark population.
Once they exhaust themselves being fought to shore, then all of their babies die. And then, sooner than you know it, you’re not going to have sixgill and sevengill returning to Puget Sound anymore.
Authorities spent months tracking Seifert’s activities and his online presence. They eventually set up surveillance to witness him making an illegal catch. Seifert now faces nine counts of unlawful recreational fishing in the second degree and one count of making a false or misleading statement to a public servant. The charges include misdemeanors with possible fines and jail time.
The department highlighted an increase in online content showing these sharks being targeted and removed from water unlawfully. In Seifert’s case, he claimed accidental capture of the sharks. However, videos he posted led to suspicions, where he is seen holding a shark’s mouth open and sitting on its back.
Puget Sound is crucial for sixgill and sevengill shark development, acting as a nursery before they transition to the ocean. This vulnerability makes it critical to protect these species locally, particularly during their early stages of life.
Both shark species are considered “Species of Greatest Conservation Need” in Washington State. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, bluntnose sixgills are “near threatened,” while broadnose sevengills are “vulnerable.”
Seifert’s actions continue to be scrutinized as his case progresses.
Leave a Reply