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The U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations alongside the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Wardens seized about 1,250 pounds of illegally caught red snapper from Mexican fishermen on March 5.
According to a Thursday press release from the U.S. Coast Guard, authorities stopped four lancha crews, consisting of 19 Mexican fishermen, from illegally taking the red snappers in waters subject to U.S. law enforcement off South Padre Island.
“Combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing is crucial to safeguarding our valuable resources and protecting the delicate marine environment,” Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Glenn Jimenez said in the release. “We will continue to collaborate closely with our local, state, federal and international partners to ensure the sustainability of our waters and put a stop to these illicit activities.”
The release states that a lancha is a 20- to 30-foot fishing boat used by Mexican fishermen in order to keep a low profile which are frequently used to transport illegal narcotics into the U.S. as well as to catch fish illegally.
If anyone witnesses suspicious activity in the area, please contact “Operation Game Thief” at 1-800-792-4263 or if the suspicious activity is happening in federal waters, contact the U.S. Coast Guard at 361-939-0450.
