2 Southland Tuna Boats Held in La Paz After Seizure by Mexico

Two California tuna boats--one from San Pedro, the other from San Diego--are in custody in La Paz after the Mexican navy seized them Saturday for violating territorial waters.

But a spokesman for the Western Fishboat Owners Assn. in San Diego said Monday that no violations of international fishing laws were involved and that no charges have yet been brought.

Bob Pringle, owner of the San Diego-based Karen Christie, said he was in touch with its skipper, Steve Anderson.

“They’re getting treated very well,” Pringle said. “There are guards on the boat, but they’re just doing their job. There’s no hostility or anything. Hopefully, we’ll get the boat out of there in the next two or three days.”

Both the Karen Christie and the Laurie Anne, a purse seiner out of San Pedro, were anchored inside the 12-mile limit of Mexican territorial waters on the western side of the Baja Peninsula, when they were taken into custody.

Bill Perkins, head of the boat owners association, said the Karen Christie had run low on fuel and radioed the Laurie Anne to bring it 3,000 gallons of diesel.

“They were not fishing,” Perkins said. “. . . It doesn’t appear to be a fisheries violation.”

Instead, the boats apparently failed to notify Mexican authorities that they were entering Mexican waters.