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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard interdicted a lancha crew and seized approximately 400 pounds of illegally caught red snapper in waters subject to U.S. law enforcement off southern Texas Thursday.
A Coast Guard Station South Padre Island boat crew, in coordination with Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi aircrews, located and stopped four Mexican fishermen engaged in illegal fishing aboard a lancha approximately 15 miles north of the Maritime Boundary Line.
After interdicting the lancha, Coast Guard personnel seized the red snapper, fishing gear and high flyers on board the vessel. The Coast Guard crew detained the Mexican fishermen, brought them ashore, and transferred them to border enforcement agents for processing.
“Our success countering illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing stems directly from effective teamwork between Air Station Corpus Christi and Station South Padre Island,” said Lt. Shane Gunderson, commanding officer, Station South Padre Island. “We will continue working together to eradicate this threat.”
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 out to 200 miles offshore, please contact the U.S. Coast Guard at 361-939-0450.
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