Mexico Defends Fishermen as U.S. Bans Mexican Fishing Boats From Ports Due to Illegal Fishing

By Jess Smith First Posted: Feb 09, 2022 07:06 AM EST

In response to the U.S. government's decision to ban Mexican fishing vessels from entering U.S. ports due to poaching, Mexico on Tuesday defended its fishermen, saying the incursions were unintentional.

According to U.S. officials, Mexican fisherman illegally throwing their nets in U.S. waters have become such a threat that they have to ban Mexican fishing vessels from U.S. ports on the Gulf of Mexico for the first time in years.

The U.S. government noted that Mexico has yet to act in preventing its boats from illegally fishing for red snapper in U.S. waters in the Gulf.

Lauren Gaches, a spokesperson for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said these Mexican vessels would "be denied port access and services," the Washington Post reported.

Mexico's "continued failure to combat unauthorized fishing activities" by tiny hulled vessels in the U.S. waters triggered the sanction, Gaches noted.

Taking effect on Monday, Mexican fishing vessels in the Gulf will be "prohibited from entering U.S. ports" and "will be denied port access and services," as per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's ruling issued in early January.

Mexico Foreign Minister Defends Mexican Fishermen

Marcelo Ebrard, Mexico's foreign relations secretary, said Mexican boats fishing in U.S. waters were accidental since it is hard to locate the dividing line between the two countries' territorial waters, Associated Press reported.

According to Ebrard, cross-border fishing was not intentional as he believes that the Mexican fishermen probably had difficulty determining the exact borderline.

However, critics believe that Mexican boats seem only to go where the fish are rather than making the same navigational error repeatedly.

The U.S. Coast Guard has detained many repeat offenders, with some Mexican fishermen being caught more than 20 times in U.S. waters since 2014.

In the fiscal year 2021, the Coast Guard apprehended 208 Mexican fishermen in 78 skiffs for illegally cross-border fishing, capturing 15,484 pounds of marine life from the boats.

Mexico's Illegal Fishing Issue

Mexico's Agriculture and Fisheries departments said Monday that they would undertake informational discussions with fishermen on the country's northern Gulf coast near the border to raise awareness of the poaching situation.

In a statement, the departments added that "the willingness the fishermen have shown toward carrying out this type of measure" is important to note.

But critics said Mexico has a poor track record in enforcing fishing limitations and safeguards. Small Mexican boats routinely haul in snapper using prohibited long lines or nets in the U.S. waters that can indiscriminately trap marine life.

Last week, three Mexican fishermen in a small blue skiff were apprehended by Texas game wardens patrolling the Gulf of Mexico. Around 500 pounds of illegally caught red snapper were also confiscated.

In a January statement, environmental group Oceana Mexico said that "Mexico has yet to implement fully" its environmental pledges to develop sustainable fishing techniques as required by the U.S.-Mexico Canada free trade pact.

The lack of effort by Mexico to halt gill net fishing in the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California, has driven the Vaquita Marina porpoise to the edge of extinction, according to environmentalists, and it reflects the country's approach toward the Gulf fishing dispute.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Jess Smith

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