Photo byThe MarksmanonUnsplash

Boat crews from Coast Guard Station South Padre Island and Coast Guard Cutter Edgar Culbertson, in coordination with Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi aircrews, located and arrested 23 Mexican fishermen engaged in illegal activities in U.S. waters off the South Texas coast Sunday, September 29, 2024.

After interdicting five "lanchas", Coast Guard personnel seized 900 pounds of red snapper and shark, fishing gear, and highflyers on board the vessels. Coast Guard crews detained the Mexican fishermen and transferred the detainees to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agents ashore in Texas.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Edgar Culbertson intercepts Mexicans illegally fishing in U.S. waters off Texas on September 29, 2024.Photo byU.S. Coast Guard

A lancha is a fishing boat used by Mexican fishermen that is 20-30 feet long with a slender profile and is capable of traveling at speeds exceeding 30 mph. Lanchas are frequently used to transport illegal narcotics to the U.S. and illegally fish in the United States’ Exclusive Economic Zone near the U.S./Mexico border in the Gulf of Mexico.

One of five "lanchas" seized by the U.S. Coast Guard off Padre Island, Texas for illegal fishing in U.S. waters (Sept 29, 2024)Photo byU.S. Coast Guard

Intercepting these small boats has been an ongoing "cat and mouse" game between their Mexican crews and the U.S. Coast Guard off Padre Island, Texas for several years. If you want to learn more about that, I have written an article which you can read HERE.

In 2022, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) banned all Mexican fishing vessels that fish in the Gulf of Mexico from U.S. ports but that has not deterred the lancha crews (known as "lancheros").

Should more be done to deter illegal activity in U.S. waters?

Share your opinion in the comments on this article!

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