'Shark Tank' not just a TV show, as illegal Dutchess County business proves - Westfair Online

'Shark Tank' not just a TV show, as illegal Dutchess County business proves - Westfair Online

'Shark Tank' not just a TV show, as illegal Dutchess County business proves - Westfair Online

Posted: 17 Mar 2021 11:33 AM PDT

If you thought "Shark Tank" was just a reality TV show where business entrepreneurs try to raise money from financial sharks, think again. A Dutchess County man has been operating a business in Dutchess County using real tanks and real sharks.

It was announced today by New York Attorney General Letitia James and state Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Basil Seggos that 40-year-old Joshua Seguine of LaGrangeville was put out of the shark business and pleaded guilty to the illegal possession of sharks with intent to sell.

He had been keeping seven live sandbar sharks at his house in an aboveground swimming pool, which was serving as his backyard shark tank.

According to James and Seggos, Seguine had been under investigation since 2017 when he was arrested in Georgia for driving without a license and having five sharks in a tank in the back of his truck. He admitted he was transporting the sharks to New York and intended to sell them. A Georgia Natural Resources Investigator got in touch with New York's DEC, which launched an investigation.

The DEC discovered he was conducting business under the name Aquatic Apex Life LLC and had offered sharks for sale on a website he had established.

Investigators found he was keeping seven live sandbar sharks at his house. State law prohibits the possession of the sharks without obtaining a special license. A search uncovered two dead leopard sharks, one dead hammerhead shark, and the snout of a smalltooth sawfish, which is an endangered species.

Biologists from the Long Island Aquarium in Riverhead and the Wildlife Conservation Society's New York Aquarium at Coney Island worked with the DEC, assessed the live sharks and transferred them to the Riverhead aquarium. The sharks were subsequently moved to the New York Aquarium at Coney Island.

Seguine pleaded guilty in the Town of LaGrange Justice Court to illegal commercialization of fish, shellfish, crustaceans, and wildlife. He was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine and sentenced to a conditional discharge.

"Let this serve as a loud and clear message: We will not tolerate anyone who preys on protected species to line their pockets," James said. "My office will continue to enforce the laws that safeguard our wildlife, and we will hold accountable those who violate them."

Seggos added, "It is critical that we work to protect endangered species that are taken from their natural habitats and sold for profit."

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post

This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post This fish is worth $300,000 - New York Post Posted: 05 Jun 2016 12:00 AM PDT With exacting precision, the surgeon inserted the scalpel above the eyeball and cut out a snotty deposit of fatty tissue. The routine eye-lift was nearly complete when suddenly the patient awoke, suffocating, and began to flop about on the table. The audience gasped. Knowing time was of the essence, the surgeon scooped up the patient in his arms, raced across the stage, and dropped her into a tank of water. She revived. Because she was a fish. Yes, fish eye-lifts exist. As do fin jobs and tail tucks. The operating theater was a mall in Jakarta, Indonesia, where a pet expo was under way. As for the patient, she survived, her formerly droopy eyes now bright and perky. A good thing, too, as this was no ordinary goldfish but rather an Asian arowana, the world's most expensive aquarium denizen, rumored to sell for as mu
Read more

NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire

Image
NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire NilocG Launches New Website for the Only All-in-One Thrive Fertilization Solution for Planted Aquariums - PRNewswire Posted: 11 Mar 2021 02:00 AM PST ALBANY, Ore. , March 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- NilocG launches a new website for planted tank enthusiasts to gather and make THRIVE, a plant fertilizer that assures planted tank aquascapes flourish while eliminating the need for multiple products more readily available online. The company also takes it a step further in the industry, making its flagship product easy to dose, super-concentrated, and an all-in-one solution based on an effective EL dosing method with all essential micro and macronutrients. Continue Reading Thrive fertilizer: North America's most trusted aquarium plant fertilizer Colin Grice , CEO, a self-described planted tank lover, re
Read more

Decatur pet store closed until further notice due to COVID-19 - WAND

Image
Decatur pet store closed until further notice due to COVID-19 - WAND Decatur pet store closed until further notice due to COVID-19 - WAND Posted: 15 Dec 2020 02:45 PM PST DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) -Ken's Aquarium and Pet Supply in Decatur is closing until further notice after the owner tested positive for COVID-19.  A Facebook post from the business, located at 730 E. Cerro Gordo St., said the owner, who is immune compromised, is still dealing with the effects of the virus after taking time to recoup. The family-operated business then decided to close down for a while.  Ken's is selling off the rest of its live animals, the post said.  "Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused, but we've been putting a lot of thought into this before posting and this is just the best option for us at this time," the post said. "I'll be posting some of the animals we have left if anyone has any interest and helping thos
Read more