By Karen Gleason
The 830 Times
Amistad National Recreation Area (ANRA) is a safe place for Del Rioans and Texans to recreate, despite an encounter between two U.S. fishermen and an aggressive Mexican boater on Sunday, ANRA Superintendent Chris Ryan said this week.
Ryan told the 830 Times Tuesday the confrontation occurred Sunday morning on the Mexico side of the Rio Grande arm of the reservoir, near Buoy 9.
“The two fishermen reported that they encountered a boater on the Mexico side who proceeded to ram the engine of their fishing boat with his boat. The fishermen took the encounter to mean that they were not wanted in that area,” Ryan said.
No weapons were seen during the incident, and the two fishermen returned safely to the U.S. side of the reservoir.
Ryan called the event exceptional.
“This appears to be an isolated incident,” Ryan said during a telephone interview.
He added there have been no reports of any problems between fishermen or others using the reservoir for recreational purposes due to the ongoing immigrant situation.
Amistad Reservoir is one of two large man-made lakes in Texas that straddles the international boundary between the United States and the Republic of Mexico.
Ryan said U.S. fishermen must carry Mexico fishing licenses to legally fish in the reservoir’s Mexican waters.
“We tell people that they need Mexico fishing licenses, and we also always tell them that they fish in Mexico at their own risk. People need to use caution,” he said.
“We do believe this was an isolated incident, though, and that by and large the reservoir is a safe place for people to recreate,” he reiterated.
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