Fishing for clout.
An Oregon man is accused of illegally fishing a species of protected sharks in Washington state after which posting unusual movies of himself “wrestling” his catch on social media.
Connor Seifert, 27, had been pulling bluntnose sixgill and broadnose sevengill sharks from the state’s Puget Sound and boasting about his illicit prizes for months, the Washington Division of Fish and Wildlife mentioned.
The freaky fisherman filmed weird movies with the sharks after he pulled them out of the water after which shared them on his on-line accounts.
In a single video offered by authorities, Seifert is seen prying open a shark’s mouth whereas stepping on its again.
In one other clip, Seifert holds a special shark by the tail out within the open air whereas it wriggles round desperately to get again into the water.
Moreover the strangeness of his alleged habits, it’s additionally unlawful to fish for sharks in Puget Sound.
Legal guidelines shield angling the seadogs, since they journey to the sound to offer start to their pups that later journey out to the ocean, based on the Washington Division of Fish & Wildlife.
No less than 14 complaints had been made to the division concerning Seifert’s unlawful fishing, authorities mentioned.
Investigators lastly arrested the shark snatcher in a sting after a months-long investigation, which had them carefully following his actions in individual and on-line.
Video exhibits the tense second officers confront Seifert over his alleged “wrestle” with the sharks.
“You recognize your shark guidelines!” the officer is seen scolding the fisherman within the footage.
The cop reminded Seifert that fishing the sharks hurts their offspring – and is in opposition to the regulation.
“As soon as they exhaust themselves being fought to shore, then all of their infants die,” the officer says, based on the clip.
“After which, before you realize it, you’re not going to have sixgill and sevengill returning to Puget Sound anymore.”
Seifert was hit with 9 counts of illegal leisure fishing within the second diploma and a rely of creating a false assertion to a public servant, cops mentioned.
He pleaded not responsible in Pierce County District Court docket, information present.
Neither Seifert nor his lawyer may very well be instantly reached for remark.
