Mexico Defends Fishermen as US Poaching Restrictions Begin

Mexico Defends Fishermen as US Poaching Restrictions Begin

Source: Associated Press

2/8/2022

Mexico on Tuesday defended its fishermen as the U.S. government banned Mexican fishing vessels from U.S. ports on the Gulf of Mexico because of poaching, saying the incursions were accidental.

The U.S. government says Mexico has not done enough to prevent its boats from illegally fishing for red snapper in U.S. waters in the Gulf.

Mexico’s foreign relations secretary, Marcelo Ebrard, said incidents of fishing by Mexican boats in U.S. waters were mistakes, saying it can be difficult to locate the dividing line between the two countries’ territorial waters.

“Sometimes it is hard to determine the exact line. It's not something intentional,” Ebrard said.

But critics say it seems more likely that Mexican boats are going where the fish are, rather than making the same navigational error over and over again. The U.S. Coast Guard has apprehended many repeat offenders, with some Mexican fishermen being caught in U.S. waters over 20 times since 2014.