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News
Release
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U.S.
Coast Guard 8th District Public Affairs Detachment Texas
8th District Public
Affairs Detachment Texas
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Coast Guard interdicts lancha crew illegally fishing US waters
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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Coast Guard law
enforcement crews detected and interdicted a Mexican lancha boat fishing illegally in
federal waters off southern Texas, Thursday evening.
Coast Guard crews
stopped a lancha with four Mexican fishermen engaged in illegal fishing. The
lancha had 23 snapper aboard the vessel. The Mexican fishermen and equipment
were detained and transferred to border enforcement agents for processing.
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.
Coast Guard Sector/Air
Station Corpus Christi has interdicted 58 lanchas north of the U.S.-Mexico
Maritime Border since Oct. 1, 2017.
If you witness suspicious
activity or illegal fishing in state waters (out to 9 miles offshore), please
contact the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s “Operation Game Thief” at
1-800-792-GAME (4263). For all suspicious activity or illegal fishing occurring
in federal waters (out to 200 miles offshore), please contact the U.S. Coast
Guard at 361-939-6393.
