Their new digs are positively extra spacious than their earlier dwelling — a New York man’s above-ground pool.
“The tide has turned for Joshua Seguine, who was convicted and held accountable for his unlawful acts,” James stated. “We will not tolerate anyone who preys on protected species to line their pockets.”
He was no stranger to the shark sale enterprise
Seguine had been on the Department of Environmental Conservation’s (DEC) radar since 2017 when he was arrested in Georgia for driving and not using a license — and holding a tank of 5 undersized sharks in the again of his truck.
Seguine advised a Department of Natural Resources investigator that he was transporting the sharks to New York state and supposed to promote them. He additionally admitted to keeping extra live sharks at his dwelling in New York.
Upon investigation, it was found that Seguine had been conducting enterprise beneath the title Aquatic Apex LLC, offering sharks for sale on the web site MonsterFishKeepers.com.
DEC officers searched Seguine’s dwelling, discovering an above-ground pool that contained seven live sandbar sharks.
Two lifeless leopard sharks, a lifeless hammerhead shark, and the snout of a smalltooth sawfish — an endangered species — have been additionally found in the search.
The biologists who accompanied officers on the search assessed the dwelling sharks, which have been ultimately transferred to the New York Aquarium.
Sandbar sharks are weak and overfished
“I applaud the work of our environmental conservation police officers, who spearheaded the investigation that resulted in Joshua Seguine being brought to justice,” New York DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos stated. “It is critical that we work to protect endangered species that are taken from their natural habitats and sold for profit.”