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Supreme Court to decide whether to hear Maine lobsterman’s challenge to GPS boat tracker requirement
The case could affect electronic monitoring rules for commercial fishermen nationwide, with Maine lobstermen catching more than 78 million pounds last year, officials said.
The Supreme Court will decide later this month whether to hear Maine lobsterman Frank Thompson's challenge to a state requirement forcing boat GPS tracking, a case with broad consequences for the American commercial fishing industry.
In 2023, Maine mandated GPS trackers for federally permitted lobstermen to improve data collection; authorities argue the monitoring is important to understand declining populations in New England.
Fishing groups frequently challenge monitoring requirements, which regulators describe as crucial for sustainability; Conservation Law Foundation senior counsel Erica Fuller stated managers "urgently need reliable and detailed data to respond to the complex issues facing our ocean."
Following a federal appeals court denial last year, Thompson appealed to the Supreme Court, with his petition questioning if Maine can force lobstermen to carry GPS trackers on private boats, citing the "important Fourth Amendment question," said lead attorney Matt Gilliam.
Maine's lobster industry, where fishermen caught more than 78 million pounds of crustaceans last year, remains central to the state's economy; the Supreme Court is set to review the claim on Sept. 28.