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An Oregon man may face jail time after Pierce County prosecutors accused him of repeatedly wrestling sharks from waters of the Puget Sound, then posting footage of the illegal animal encounters to social media. Connor Seifert, 27, insisted the sixgill and sevengill sharks were merely “bycatch” from recreational fishing for other species, according the Department of Fish and Wildlife. But Seifert’s “prolific” postings of himself posing with the protected sharks — including videos of him dragging them by their tails and removing them from the water — prove he deliberately targeted the animals, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Pierce County District Court. It is illegal to fish in Washington’s marine waters for sixgill and sevengill sharks, largely because they travel to the Puget Sound to birth their pups, who later journey into the ocean. Fish and Wildlife officers had received 14 complaints about Seifert, many accusing him of targeting the two shark species, according to a statement Thursday by the agency. Investigators monitored Seifert’s fishing in Puget Sound for months, including the kinds of heavy-duty fishing gear and bait he used, and the footage he posted online. An officer detained him June 12 near the Fox Island fishing pier, just west of Tacoma, after watching him straddle and wrestle a thrashing sixgill shark, pose for a video with the animal and drag it by its tail as it tried to escape, according to the affidavit. The Saint Helens, Ore., resident’s behavior made clear he was using the vulnerable sharks “for an opportunity to take videos and pictures to post,” said Becky Elder, a spokesperson for the department’s police. Seifert declined to be interviewed in a phone call with The Seattle Times, and his attorney did not respond Friday to inquiries. Seifert was arraigned Tuesday in Pierce County District Court and pleaded not guilty to making a false statement to a public servant and nine counts of second-degree unlawful recreational fishing. If convicted, Seifert faces up to $14,000 in fines and more than three years in jail, according to Fish and Wildlife. There are 10 other shark species found in Washington. Without any natural predators, they play an important role in the ecosystem by regulating the population of species below them in the food chain. Sixgill sharks can grow up to 18 feet in length and 1,300 pounds, living up to 80 years. The species is distinguished from other sharks by its six gill slits, broad head and fluorescent green-blue eyes, according to state Fish and Wildlife. The sevengill shark can grow to nearly 10 feet and 240 pounds. They live close to 50 years and are known for their blunt snouts and seven gill slits — two more than most shark species. submitted by /u/SuperMcG |
