NewsLocal News

Actions

Coast Guard interdicts lancha crew illegally fishing in U.S. waters

Posted at 10:54 AM, Aug 14, 2018
and last updated 2018-08-14 11:54:37-04

CORPUS CHRISTI – Coast Guard law enforcement crews from Corpus Christi interdicted a Mexican lancha boat crew illegally fishing off the Texas coast on Sunday.

According to the Coast Guard, the lancha had 15 Snapper and 59 shark totaling 643 pounds aboard the vessel. Four Mexican fishermen onboard were detained and transferred to border enforcement agents for processing.

Illegally caught sharks and red snapper are counted outside of Coast Guard Station South Padre Island near South Padre Island, Texas, Aug.12, 2018. The lancha seized by Coast Guard law enforncement crews had 15 Snapper and 59 shark totaling 643 pounds. U.S. Coast Guard photo

“The illegal fishing of red snapper causes over 11 million dollars in lost revenue each year to U.S commercial fishermen in the Gulf of Mexico,” said Cmdr. Charles Hawkins, the chief of response at Sector/Air Station Corpus Christi. “Deterring this and other illicit activity on the U.S./Mexico maritime boundary line is one of our top priorities.”

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

A lancha floats near a pier after being seized by Coast Guard law enforcement crews in southern Texas Aug. 12, 2018. A lancha is a Mexican fishing boat approximately 20-30 feet long with a slender profile. U.S. Coast Guard photo.