In a legal twist from the Pacific Northwest, an Oregon resident is now under scrutiny for supposedly wrestling with and unlawfully capturing two species of protected sharks in the waters of Puget Sound. The suspect allegedly mishandled both the bluntnose sixgill shark and the broadnose sevengill shark, stirring environmental concerns.
This month, the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife released revealing body cam footage. The video captures an encounter between an officer and 27-year-old Connor Seifert. It took place in June, amid the scenic locale of Pierce County, Washington.
“You’re well aware of the shark regulations,” the officer mentions sternly in the shared footage while addressing Seifert. “It’s forbidden to remove sixgill sharks from the water, even partially or fully.”
A still from the video posted by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, depicting a shark being held precariously by its tail. (WDFW)
Continuing his caution, the officer added, “Bringing a sixgill to the shore and getting on its back exposes its gills to air, which can be fatal. As you’re aware, Puget Sound serves as a crucial nursery for these shark species. Catching these sharks during this developmental stage can severely impact the unborn pups, leading to increased mortality rates.”
He added, “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.”
This came after months of following Seifert’s movements and his online posts, with officers finally setting up surveillance so they could catch him making an illegal catch.
A still the suspect allegedly posted on social media of him sitting on a shark’s back and holding its mouth open. (WDFW)
He has been charged in Pierce County with 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 first is a misdemeanor and the second is a gross misdemeanor.
Misdemeanors carry up to a $1,000 fine and 90 days in jail if found guilty and gross demeanors carry up to a $5,000 fine and a year in jail.
A broadnose sevengill shark. (Anadolu via Getty Images, File)
“Fishing for sixgill and sevengill sharks is unlawful, and unfortunately, officers are seeing a growing number of online posts showing these sharks targeted and then unlawfully removed from or partially removed from the water,” the department said in a post about Seifert’s charges.
Seifert claimed that he hadn’t been targeting the sharks and that he had accidentally caught them, but videos he posted to social media that allegedly showed him holding a shark’s mouth open, while sitting on its back and holding it by its tail on the shore while it attempted to get away paint another picture.
The department said it has gotten 14 complaints about Seifert, mainly connected to his allegedly targeting the sharks.
A Washington State ferry crosses the Puget Sound toward Seattle. (Corbis via Getty Images)
“Puget Sound acts like a nursey for sixgill and sevengill sharks before they head out to the ocean, the department said.
The department added, “This is one of the primary reasons why it is unlawful to target these sharks locally, as the anglers fishing for these creatures are targeting them during a highly volatile era in the animals’ lives.”
Both shark species are listed as “Species of Greatest Conservation Need” in Washington State.
Bluntnose sixgills are categorized as “near threatened” and broadnose sevengills are “vulnerable,” according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature.