U.S. Coast Guard crews interdicted four Mexican fishermen engaged in alleged illegal fishing activities in federal waters off the southern Texas coast on Tuesday, seizing approximately 450 pounds of red snapper and related fishing gear.

The operation, carried out by a Coast Guard Station South Padre Island boat crew, was conducted in coordination with watchstanders from Sector Corpus Christi and aircrews from Coast Guard Air Station Corpus Christi. The fishermen were detected and apprehended north of the Maritime Boundary Line, within the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone in the Gulf of Mexico, also known as the Gulf of America.

The fishermen were traveling in a lancha — a long, narrow fishing vessel powered by a single outboard motor and capable of high speeds — commonly used by Mexican fishermen. According to the Coast Guard, lanchas are frequently involved in illegal fishing and occasionally serve as smuggling vessels for drugs and migrants.

Upon boarding the lancha, Coast Guard crews discovered roughly 450 pounds of red snapper. The fishermen were taken into custody, transported to shore, and handed over to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for further processing. The Coast Guard also confiscated the fishing gear and equipment on board.

Illegal fishing in U.S. waters, particularly near the Texas coast, remains a significant concern for both national security and marine conservation. Officials warn that the unlawful harvest of species such as red snapper not only threatens fish populations but also contributes to transnational criminal activity.

The Coast Guard has stepped up surveillance and interdiction efforts in the Gulf of Mexico in recent years, where incursions by lanchas from Mexican waters have become a persistent issue.