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Press Release | Dec. 10, 2023

PHOTOS AVAILABLE: Coast Guard, Texas Parks & Wildlife Department interdict 5 lanchas, seize 2,640 pounds of illegal fish

Coast Guard PADET Texas - Office: (281) 464-4810 / After Hours: (832) 293-1293

A 26-foot over-the-horizon boat crew from Coast Guard Cutter Jacob Poroo (manned by the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Benjamin Dailey) interdicts a Mexican lancha about 4 miles offshore the southern Texas coast, Dec. 9, 2023. The Coast Guard crew interdicted the lancha, detained four Mexican fishermen aboard, and seized approximately 1,650 pounds of illegally caught red snapper from the vessel. (U.S. Coast Guard photo, courtesy Cutter Jacob Poroo) Crew members of Coast Guard Cutter Jacob Poroo (manned by the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Benjamin Dailey) prepare to pilot a lancha about 4 miles offshore the southern Texas coast, Dec. 9, 2023. After interdicting the lancha, Coast Guard personnel detained four Mexican fishermen aboard the boat, seized approximately 1,650 pounds of illegally caught red snapper, and piloted the lancha ashore. (U.S. Coast Guard photo, courtesy Cutter Jacob Poroo) A member of a 26-foot over-the-horizon boat crew from Coast Guard Cutter Jacob Poroo (manned by the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Benjamin Dailey) distributes life jackets to Mexican fishermen aboard a lancha about 4 miles offshore the southern Texas coast, Dec. 9, 2023. The Coast Guard crew interdicted the lancha, detained four Mexican fishermen aboard, and seized approximately 1,650 pounds of illegally caught red snapper from the vessel. (U.S. Coast Guard photo, courtesy Cutter Jacob Poroo)

A 45-foot Response Boat–Medium crew from Coast Guard Station South Padre Island surveys approximately 440 pounds of red snapper found aboard a Mexican lancha approximately 10 miles offshore the southern Texas coast, Dec. 9, 2023. The RB–M crew interdicted the lancha, detained four Mexican fishermen aboard, and transferred the detainees to U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel for further processing. (U.S. Coast Guard photo, courtesy Station South Padre Island) A 26-foot over-the-horizon boat crew from Coast Guard Cutter Jacob Poroo (manned by the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Benjamin Dailey) surveys approximately 1,650 pounds of red snapper on board a Mexican lancha about 4 miles offshore the southern Texas coast, Dec. 9, 2023. The Coast Guard crew interdicted the lancha, detained four Mexican fishermen aboard, and transferred the detainees to U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel for further processing. (U.S. Coast Guard photo, courtesy Cutter Jacob Poroo)

Editor's Note: Click on images to download high-resolution version.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard and Texas Parks & Wildlife Department (TPWD) interdicted five lancha crews and seized approximately 2,640 pounds of illegally caught red snapper in waters subject to U.S. law enforcement off southern Texas, Saturday.

Boat crews from Coast Guard Station South Padre Island and Coast Guard Cutter Jacob Poroo, in coordination with Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi aircrews, located and stopped a total of 16 Mexican fishermen engaged in illegal fishing aboard four lanchas north of the Maritime Boundary Line.

After interdicting the lanchas, Coast Guard personnel seized 2,090 pounds of red snapper in addition to fishing gear and high flyers on board the vessels. Coast Guard crews detained the Mexican fishermen, brought them ashore, and transferred the detainees to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for further processing.

“Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing depletes our precious natural resources, disrupts our economy and threatens the marine environment,” said Coast Guard Capt. Hans Govertsen, commanding officer, Air Station Corpus Christi. “We are blessed to work alongside our local, state, federal, and international partners and are fiercely committed to stopping these illegal operations.”

Additionally, an Air Station Corpus Christi crew alerted a TPWD boat crew to the presence of another lancha crew engaged in illegal fishing north of the Maritime Boundary Line. The TPWD crew interdicted the lancha with four Mexican fishermen aboard and seized 550 pounds of illegally caught red snapper.

“This case is another example of Texas Game Wardens working with partners to protect and conserve Texas’ natural resources,” said Colonel Chad Jones, Director of TPWD Law Enforcement. “We truly appreciate our partnership with the Coast Guard as we patrol the coastal waterways.”

A lancha is a fishing boat used by Mexican fishermen that is approximately 20-30 feet long with a slender profile, having one outboard motor, and is capable of traveling at speeds exceeding 30 mph. Lanchas are frequently used to transport illegal narcotics to the U.S. and illegally fish in the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone near the U.S./Mexico border in the Gulf of Mexico.

If you witness suspicious activity or illegal fishing in state waters (from land to 9 miles offshore), please contact “Operation Game Thief” at 1-800-792-GAME (4263). For all suspicious activity or illegal fishing occurring in federal waters (out to 200 miles offshore), please contact the U.S. Coast Guard at 361-939-0450.

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