Isla Mujeres, Q.R. — Another illegal catch in Isla Mujeres waters has lead to a seizure. On Thursday, the Secretary of the Navy reported on its latest seizure of poached conche.
The Secretary reported seizing 22 queen snails after a male was seen dive fishing for them from a surfboard. Elements of the Marina came upon the man and his board Thrusday during surveillance patrols between Cancun and Isla Mujeres.
In a statement, the Secretaría de Marina reported seizing 22 specimens of the queen snail during closed season. The man was located illegally dive fishing for them near Puerto Juárez, “where this person was seen on a surfboard extracting the mollusks.”
When Navy personnel inspected his board, they located the 22 specimens, which were still alive. After photos were taken for evidence, the snails were returned to the sea. The man was arrested and his surfboard seized.
It is one of numerous poaching seizures made this year by patrolling Navy. Four days earlier, Marina personnel arrested one male and seized his illegal catch of 13 live specimens of queen conch and four pieces of coral also in Isla Mujeres waters.
