Mexican nationals detained for illegal fishing off Texas coast

The US Coast Guard interdicted and detained eight Mexican fishermen engaged in illegal fishing and seized approximately 150 pounds (68 kg) of fish in federal waters off southern Texas on Friday, March 28.

Coast Guard Station South Padre Island boat crews, in coordination with Coast Guard Sector Corpus Christi Command Center watchstanders and Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi aircrews, detected and interdicted a total of eight Mexican fishermen engaged in illegal fishing north of the maritime boundary line (MBL) in the Gulf of America.

After interdicting the two lanchas, the coast guard crews took the fishermen into custody, brought them ashore, and transferred them to US Customs and Border Protection personnel for processing.

Coast guard personnel also seized approximately 150 pounds of red snapper, along with fishing gear and equipment found on board the vessels. Both of the lanchas were seized.

A lancha is a fishing boat used by Mexican fishermen that is approximately 20 to 30 feet (six to nine metres) long, with a slender profile, one outboard motor, and capable of traveling at speeds exceeding 26 knots. Lanchas are frequently used to illegally fish in the US exclusive economic zone near the US-Mexico border in the Gulf of America.

The coast guard said the illegal poaching and trade of red snapper and other fish species is often a revenue stream for criminal organisations.

Apart from their use for illegal poaching in US waters, lanchas may also used to move illicit drugs and aliens into the United States.