Matamoros fishermen indicted for taking 700 pounds of red snapper from gulf

Four Mexican fishermen from Matamoros have been indicted by a Brownsville grand jury for illegally transporting fish taken from the Gulf of Mexico.

Miguel Angel Ramirez-Vidal, 32, Jesus David Luna-Marquez, 20, Roberto Morales-Amador, 27, and Jose Daniel Santiago-Mendoza, 22, are expected to be arraigned later this month for illegally taking red snapper, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas said in a news release.

On April 17, the fishermen allegedly attempted to transport and export nearly 695 pounds of red snapper illegally taken from U.S. waters in order to sell in Mexico.

According to the criminal complaint, authorities observed the crew’s fishing vessel in the gulf 7 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico maritime boundary line and 21 miles east of South Padre Island.

The crew allegedly fished with nearly 2.5 miles of heavy nylon fishing line and 1,200 fishing hooks and were in an unmarked, unregistered vessel and operating without running lights.

“The charges alleged none of the crew had a permit to fish in U.S. waters nor had a quota for red snapper in violation of federal law,” the release said.

If the men are convicted, they are facing up to five years in federal prison and a possible $250,000 maximum fine.

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