Nurse Shark from Wikimedia Commons
Even more troubling news out of Florida. According to the Miami Herald, two marine dealers from the Keys have pleaded guilty to conspiring to illegally collect and sell marine life. The men, Eric Pedersen and Serder Ercan, planned to collect several types of sharks and corals, according to reports, and could face up to five years in prision and be subject to a $250,000 fine. The two men will be sentenced in December.
According to the report, the two men illegally collected nurse, bonnethead and lemon sharks. Additionally, they had various types of coral. Their collecting activities occurred between October 2010 and February 2011, and their catch was sold to various people around the US and other countries. To make matters worse, some of the animals were taken from the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and other national wildlife refuges.
This story comes to us from MASNA via Facebook
