Oregon Man Charged for ‘Wrestling’ Protected Sharks in Washington

An Oregon man is facing a slew of charges in Washington state for allegedly engaging in the illegal capture and handling of protected shark species in Puget Sound. The accused, identified as 27-year-old Connor Seifert, is accused of unlawfully removing bluntnose sixgill and broadnose sevengill sharks from the water, a practice authorities say poses a significant threat to the vulnerable populations. The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) recently released body camera footage depicting an officer confronting Seifert in Pierce County back in June, bringing a months-long investigation to a head.

Investigation Culminates in Confrontation

The confrontation, captured on the officer’s body camera, highlighted the severity of the alleged actions. “You know your shark rules,” the officer stated to Seifert, as heard in the video. “You can’t fully or partially remove sixgill from the water.” The officer elaborated on the specific harm caused by Seifert’s alleged methods, describing how wrestling a sixgill shark to shore and exposing it to air, often by sitting on its back, is detrimental. “Puget Sound is a nursery for these sharks,” the officer explained, emphasizing the direct link between such activities and the mortality of shark pups. “When you fight these sharks to shore, you exhaust them, and then all of their babies die. Sooner than you know it, you’re not going to have sixgill and sevengill returning to Puget Sound anymore.”

This incident was the culmination of an extensive investigation. WDFW officials had been monitoring Seifert’s activities and online posts for months before orchestrating surveillance to catch him in the act of an illegal catch. The department noted a concerning trend of online content showcasing these sharks being targeted and unlawfully handled.

Charges and Potential Penalties

As a result of the investigation, Seifert has been charged in Pierce County with nine counts of unlawful recreational fishing in the second degree, a misdemeanor, and one count of making a false or misleading statement to a public servant, a gross misdemeanor. If convicted of the misdemeanor charges, Seifert could face fines up to $1,000 and up to 90 days in jail. The gross misdemeanor charge carries more severe penalties, potentially including fines up to $5,000 and a jail sentence of up to one year.

The WDFW has expressed concern over the increasing number of online posts depicting the targeting and unlawful removal of these sharks from the water. “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 stated in a release regarding Seifert’s charges.

Seifert’s Defense and Shark Conservation Status

While Seifert reportedly claimed he had not intentionally targeted the sharks and that the catches were accidental, video evidence allegedly posted by him to social media appears to contradict this. These videos reportedly show him holding a shark’s mouth open, sitting on its back, and holding its tail on the shore as the animal struggled. The WDFW indicated that they had received 14 complaints specifically related to Seifert’s alleged targeting of these sharks.

The department stressed the critical role Puget Sound plays as a nursery for these shark species before they migrate to the ocean. “Puget Sound acts like a nursery for sixgill and sevengill sharks before they head out to the ocean,” the WDFW explained. “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.”

Conservation Status of Targeted Sharks

Both the bluntnose sixgill and broadnose sevengill sharks are designated as “Species of Greatest Conservation Need” within Washington State, underscoring their vulnerable status. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), bluntnose sixgills are classified as “near threatened,” while broadnose sevengills are listed as “vulnerable.” These classifications highlight the importance of conservation efforts and the need to protect these species, particularly during their sensitive early life stages within the Puget Sound nursery grounds.

The investigation and subsequent charges against Seifert serve as a stark reminder of the legal protections afforded to these marine animals and the consequences for those who violate them. The WDFW continues to monitor the situation and encourages the public to report any suspected illegal fishing activities.