Mexican Fishermen Nabbed by Coast Guard

Three Mexican fishermen were caught by the U.S. Coast Guard after illegally harvesting fish off the coast of southern Texas near Corpus Christi. The location was about 37 miles north of the Maritime Boundary Line.

The event occurred on January 7, 2023 when a crew from Coast Guard cutter Benjamin Dailey received a tip about the illegal activity, then located and apprehended the fishermen.

The illegal fishing crew were using a lancha, which is a Mexican fishing boat commonly used for illegal fishing and drug smuggling. The boats have an outboard motor, are 20 to 30 feet in length, and can travel over 30 mph.

Coast Guard personnel found 350 pounds of red snapper and illegal gear. The fish, gear and boat were all seized.

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The three Mexican fishermen were taken into custody and transferred to the jurisdiction of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for further processing.

According to Petty Officer 1st Class Samuel Hogan:

“Illegal fishing threatens the security of our maritime border and the prosperity of our marine ecosystems. We will continue working closely with our agency partners to minimize the negative impacts of illegal activities in federal waters.”