Full Breakdown
Oregon Man Charged with Illegally Wrestling Protected Sharks in Puget Sound
7/26/2026, 9:11:40 PM
Alleged Illegal Shark Wrestling
Pierce County prosecutors have charged 27-year-old Connor Seifert of Saint Helens, Oregon, with nine counts of second-degree unlawful recreational fishing and one count of making a false or misleading statement to a public servant. The charges stem from video evidence showing Seifert “straddling” and wrestling bluntnose sixgill and broad-nose sevengill sharks, dragging them onto shore, and holding them by the tail while they struggled to escape. An officer detained Seifert on June 12 near the Fox Island fishing pier, west of Tacoma, after observing the encounter.
Background and Investigation
Washington’s Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) classifies both sixgill and sevengill sharks as “Species of Greatest Conservation Need,” with the International Union for Conservation of Nature listing bluntnose sixgills as “near threatened” and broad-nose sevengills as “vulnerable.” The agency notes that Puget Sound serves as a nursery habitat where pregnant females give birth to pups that later migrate to the open ocean.
WDFW received 14 complaints alleging that Seifert targeted these protected species. Over several months, investigators monitored his fishing activities, gear, and bait, and reviewed his social-media posts that repeatedly displayed him posing with the sharks.
Legal Exposure and Potential Penalties
If convicted, Seifert faces up to $14,000 in fines and more than three years in jail, according to WDFW. Fox News reported that misdemeanors carry fines of up to $1,000 and up to 90 days in jail, while the gross misdemeanor carries a fine of up to $5,000 and up to one year in jail. The discrepancy reflects differing reports of the statutory maximums for the nine fishing counts and the false-statement charge.
Conservation Significance
Sixgill sharks can reach 18 feet in length and weigh as much as 1,300 pounds, living up to 80 years. Their role as apex predators helps regulate lower-trophic species, and the lack of natural predators in Washington waters underscores their ecological importance. Removing pregnant females or stressing juveniles can reduce future populations, threatening the nursery function of Puget Sound.
Official Statements and Agency Response
The agency’s public statement framed the investigation as a response to a growing number of online posts showing illegal targeting of the sharks.
What’s Next – Seifert has pleaded not guilty and awaits trial; the case will proceed through Pierce County District Court.
