Ammon Covino

Ammon Covino is an American businessman and aquarium operator. Covino has been convicted of illegal harvesting and trafficking of animals for SeaQuest Interactive Aquariums and associated Covino businesses.

Beginning in 2012, Covino was indicted by the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida (Key West Division) through the enforcement of the Department of Commerce, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the National Marine Fisheries Service under the Lacey Act, Florida State Administrative Code Section 688-44.005 and Section 688-44.008 for the illegal harvesting and trafficking of the Lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) and Spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) in the Florida Keys. Both species are listed as 'near threatened' on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List. Covino plead guilty to the charges of conspiracy to illegally purchase and sell fish and wildlife (18 U.S.C. §371), resulting in a sentencing by Federal Judge Jose E. Martinez of 12 months and 1 day and 2 years of supervised release.

In February 2016, Covino violated parole by failing to “answer truthfully all inquiries by his probation officer”, leading to an additional sentence of 30 days in jail and a court mandated fine of $50,000 to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

In November 2016, Covino was sentenced to be incarcerated for an additional eight months and an 1 year of supervised release for violating court-imposed employment restrictions of opening new locations of SeaQuest in Las Vegas, Nevada and Layton, Utah.