US to close Gulf ports to Mexican fishing boats for poaching

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The U.S. government will prevent Mexican fishing vessels from entering U.S. ports on the Gulf of Mexico, arguing the Mexican government has not done enough to prevent its boats from illegally fishing in U.S. waters. Starting Feb. 7, Mexican boats “are prohibited from entering U.S. ports, will be denied port access and services,” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration wrote in a report. The moves caps a years-long problem with U.S. efforts to protect valuable red snapper stocks along its Gulf shores. Small Mexican boats frequently use prohibited nets or long lines to haul in snapper in U.S. waters. Such nets indiscriminately trap or catch marine life.