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Northwest man charged for allegedly 'wrestling' sharks in Puget Sound: police
Fox News • • nation
Key Points:
- Connor Seifert, a 27-year-old Oregon man, faces multiple charges for illegally catching and mishandling protected bluntnose sixgill and broadnose sevengill sharks in Puget Sound, Washington.
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officers used body camera footage and surveillance after months of monitoring Seifert, who was seen wrestling sharks to shore and violating regulations designed to protect these species.
- Seifert is charged with nine counts of unlawful recreational fishing and one count of making a false statement, with potential penalties including fines up to $5,000 and up to one year in jail.
- The protected sharks serve as a nursery population in Puget Sound, and mishandling them can lead to the death of shark pups, threatening local populations of these near-threatened and vulnerable species.
- The department has received multiple complaints about Seifert's activities, highlighting concerns over increased illegal targeting of these sharks, which are listed as species of greatest conservation need in Washington State.
