Coast Guard makes third red snapper seizure off South Padre Island in April

For the third time in April, the Coast Guard has announced seizing illegally caught red snapper from Mexican fishermen off of South Padre Island, bringing the total amount of illegally caught fish to 1,300 pounds.

The latest seizure happened Tuesday when the Coast Guard stopped four Mexican fishermen about 12 miles north of the Maritime Boundary Line.

They then seized 440 pounds of red snapper, a shark, fishing gear and high flyers.

The fishermen were detained and transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for processing.

Coast Guard personnel also seized 460 pounds of red snapper on April 9 and another 400 pounds on April 4.

Captain Hans Govertsen, commanding officer of Air Station Corpus Christi, said the agency, along with the Department of Homeland Security, state and local partners, is dedicated to protecting the country’s natural resources.

“All partners have been working in concert to identify, track and interdict illegal fishing ventures that originate in Mexico with the support of transnational criminal organizations,” Govertson said. “If it were not for the dedicated women and men of Station South Padre Island, Air and Marine Operations, and Texas Parks and Wildlife, we would not be able to protect our precious natural resources from these illegal fishermen.”