The US Coast Guard detained 16 Mexican fishermen off the Texas coast.

Authorities intercepted anglers engaged in unauthorised fishing on Tuesday night, March 11, and seized around 2,500lb of illegally poached fish.

Coast Guard crews from Cutter Daniel Tarr, Station South Padre Island, and Air Station Corpus Christi interdicted four lanchas north of the Maritime Boundary Line in the 'Gulf of America'.

The individuals were sent to US Customs and Border Protection personnel for processing. Two lanchas were seized, while two were marked and left adrift due to flooding and instability.

Lieutenant David Anderson, commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Daniel Tarr said: 'Our crews will continue to relentlessly detect and deter threats to our nation's sovereignty. These illegal activities support trafficking and other criminal activities on our nation's southern maritime border.

'Our enduring at-sea presence is vital in combatting these illegal operations.'

A lancha is a small boat commonly used in Latin American countries, particularly in coastal and riverine areas. It is typically a motorised vessel used for fishing, transportation, or recreational purposes.

Earlier this year, President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America.

Trump said the Gulf is crucial to the security and economic well-being of the United States, and as such, it should bear the nation's name.