MEXICO CITY PRESS HAILS DECISION OF U.S. SHRIMP FISHERMEN NOT TO FISH WITHIN 9 MILES OF MEXICO'S COAST

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP08C01297R000800240013-6
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 3, 2012
• Sequence Number: 13
• Publication Date: July 30, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/03: CIA-RDP08001297R000800240013-6
mR5RETy (Security Classikition) 812.245/13033
FOREIGN SERVICE DESPATCH IR 811.24.5
FROM AMEMBASTL MEXICO, D L .
NO.
TO
REF
2
For Dept.
Use Only
nit
THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, WASHINGTON.
Voluntary
July 114 1953
AUG 1 2 1953
ACTION
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REC'D
AVG 4
DEPT.
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REP ARk au 1 Ink OIR/Gi
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AG COM IN FOk CIL um
SUBJECT:
Mexico City Press Bails Decision of U. S. Shrimp
Fishermen Not to Fish Within 9 Miles of Mexico's Coast
During the wools ending July 25, 1953 the Mexico City
press carried conspicuous front-page articles and editorials
praising the decision adopted at the III Annual Convention
of the Shrimp Association of the Americas not to fish within
nine miles of the Mexican coast, and speculating that this
decision may be followed by formal recognition of Mexico's
claim to nine miles.
Headlined "Possibility that Mexico's territorial waters
may be fixed at 16 kilometers" an article in Excelsior of
July 24 stated "... Washington at present is s tidying the
bases for a Mexican-Worth American treaty whereby the owners
of fishing vessels formally will agree not to fish within
ten 547 miles... In exchange for this, United States shrimp
fishermen have asked that Mexico establish two refuge zones
near Tampico and Campeche where fishermen might seek shelter
from storms without exposing themselves to detention by Mexicea
gunboats..."
Excelsior attributed the above statements to Manuel
SAUCH320 15resident of the "International Commission" of the
Shrimp Association of the Americas and Vice-President of the
Brownsville Shrimp Exchange (a private company).
Inquiries made in fishing circles indicated that American
members of the Shrimp Association, three or four weeks ago,
sent to the United States Department of State a memorandum
setting forth the need for respecting Mexico's nins-mile limit
and requesting that a formal agreement to that effect be enter-
ed into with the Mexican Government.
The Embassy has been unsuccessful in its efforts to
secure a copy of the memorandum in question.
ZIAlartinez:mrefgO
REPORTER
UNCLASSIFIED
INFORMATION COPY
Retain in divisional files or destroy in accordance With security regulations.
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/03: CIA-RDP08001297R000800240013-6
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' Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/03: CIA-RDPO8C012T-97TROT00800240013-6
From
(Classification)
From
According to the local press, the III Convention of the
Shrimp Association of the Americas was attended by 37 American
and 19 Mexican representatives of fishing industri4s. Among
members of the Association are the Texas Shrimp Association,
the Florida, Fishermen's Association, Chamber of the Mexican
Fishing Industry, and a number of associate members from the
State of Louisiana.
Relevant to the developments recounted above, was an item
in Mexico City's El Universal of duly 24, 1953 which disclosed
that certain Mexican fishermen have teen conniving with Amer-
ican-owned vesitels to contravene Mexican fishing laws. The
114Xicaa fishermen, according to the item in question, sold
their shrimp catch to the American vessels, which paid them in
United States dollars. To justify their returning to port with
holds empty, the fishermen fabricated stories to the effect
that they had been chased away from fishing grounds and-attack-
ed by American "pirates".
The Mexican Navy commissioned its personnel at Gulf ports,
including Tempica,. Veracruz, Campeche, and Ciudad del Carmen
to investigate denunciations of the above nature and verified
that the Mexican fishermen pat to sea properly equipped with
food for several days, ice for keeping the catch, and fishing
permits and that they invariably returned to port with holds
empty and the same story of piracy. Although the Mexican Navy
rushed coast patrol planes to persecute the offenders, none
was ever sighted, and this prompted the Navy to investigate
farther.
Vessels found in Mexican territorial waters do not in.
fringe Mexican fishing lam unless they are found with nets in
water. By selling their catches to such vessels, the article
ran, Mexican fishermen not only connived with the vessels to
contravene Mexican fishing laws but also enabled them to evade
fishing taxes.
? FAS
For the Ambassador
ICounsel fo Agricultural Affairs
UNCLASSIFIED
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/03: CIA-RDP08001297R000800240013-6