The US Coast Guard law enforcement crews detected and interdicted two lancha boat crews engaged in illegal fishing in federal waters, off southern Texas, on Saturday morning and Sunday night.
A total of seven Mexican fishermen were detained and transferred to border enforcement agents for processing. In addition, the two lancha boats, along with fishing gear, and 1,680 pounds of red snapper, grouper, pufferfish, shark and eel were seized.
USCG interdicted another four lancha boat crews engaged in illegal fishing of US waters near southern Texas, involving 20 Mexican fishermen, from 11 to 13 March.
A lancha is a Mexican fishing boat that is approximately 20-30 feet long with a slender profile, typically has one outboard motor, and is capable of traveling at speeds exceeding 30 mph. These vessels are usually used for drugs transport to the US and fish illegally in the US’ Exclusive Economic Zone near the US-Mexico border in the Gulf of Mexico.
Since October 2017, the USCG Sector Air Station Corpus Christi has detected 83 lanchas in the area, 30 of which were interdicted.
Illegal fishing is a main area for concern in the global fishing industry, resulting in significant environmental and economic damage. According to Pew Charitable Trusts, up to $23.5 billion worth of seafood is stolen from the sea each year, which is equivalent to 1 in 5 fish sold.
