USCG Arrests Mexican Poachers

The US Coast Guard interdicted a Mexican fishing crew who fled from authorities Sunday, after poaching shark, red snapper, and eel in the waters off South Texas.

At approximately 12:30 p.m. Sunday, an Air Station Corpus Christi MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew observed a Mexican fishing boat, also known as a lancha, 22 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico maritime boundary line and 31 miles offshore.

Sector Corpus Christi watchstanders diverted a Station South Padre Island law enforcement boatcrew to intercept. After a 32 minute aerial pursuit, the Coast Guard boatcrew arrived and the lancha crew complied with orders to stop. The lancha had six sharks weighing 154 pounds, 66 red snapper weighing 428 pounds, seven eels weighing 20 pounds, four people and fishing gear aboard the vessel when it was stopped.

All the catch was returned to the sea and the fishermen were turned over to Customs and Border Protection.

[mappress mapid=”14985″]

Image: USCG