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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The Coast Guard interdicted two lanchas and seized 460 pounds of illegally caught fish in federal waters off southern Texas Tuesday.
Boat crews from Coast Guard Station South Padre Island and Coast Guard Cutter Daniel Tarr, in coordination with Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi aircrews, located and stopped a total of nine Mexican fishermen engaged in illegal fishing north of the Maritime Boundary Line.
A Coast Guard Station South Padre Island 33-foot Special Purpose Craft-Law Enforcement crew interdicted two lanchas that began rapidly taking on water once stopped. The boat crew embarked the fishermen to ensure their safety and transferred them to Coast Guard Cutter Daniel Tarr.
Additionally, Coast Guard personnel seized 460 pounds of red snapper, three sharks, fishing gear and high flyers found 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 personnel for further processing.
“The nature of operations can quickly change from law enforcement to rescue,” said Lt. Shane Gunderson, commanding officer, Station South Padre Island. “Frequent training allows Coast Guard crews to shift efforts without delay and ensure both the safety and security of the maritime community.”
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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