Authorities found four illegal fishing boats holding about 1,250 pounds of illegally caught red snapper off the South Texas coast.
A total of 19 fishermen from Mexico were detained following the discovery, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and U.S. Coast Guard said in a news release.
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The USCG, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and TPWD Game Wardens located the four lanchas north of the maritime boundary line on March 5.
TPWD intercepted a lancha that contained five fishermen and 185 red snapper, which weighed about 1,000 pounds. USCG found about 220 pounds of red snapper in the other boats.
Authorities confiscated the fish, fishing gear and boats. The fishermen were transferred to CBP for processing.
“Combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing is crucial to safeguarding our valuable resources and protecting the delicate marine environment,” Chief Petty Officer Glenn Jimenez, command duty officer at Sector Corpus Christi, 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.”
Lanchas are known for transporting illegal drugs or fish near the U.S.-Mexico border. They range between 20 and 30 feet long and have a slender profile with the capability of traveling about 30 miles per hour.
Anyone who witnesses suspicious activity or illegal fishing in state waters (from land to 9 miles offshore) can contact “Operation Game Thief” at 1-800-792-GAME (4263). For suspicious activity or illegal fishing in federal waters (out to 200 miles offshore), contact the U.S. Coast Guard at 361-939-0450.
Boat crews from Coast Guard Station South Padre Island, CBP Air and Marine Operations and TPWD, and aircrews from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi aircrews conducted the operation.