Supreme Court Lets 24/7 GPS Tracking Rule Stand for Maine Lobstermen
Updated
Updated · Fox News · Oct 11
Supreme Court Lets 24/7 GPS Tracking Rule Stand for Maine Lobstermen
1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Oct 11
Summary
Monday’s order left intact a First Circuit ruling that upheld Maine’s GPS mandate for federally licensed lobster boats, ending Frank Thompson’s Supreme Court appeal for now.
The devices record a boat’s location once a minute while moving and every six hours while docked; Thompson says they also track personal trips, making his vessel feel like a 24/7 “ankle bracelet.”
Courts sided with regulators because lobstering is a closely regulated industry, while Maine officials say the data helps protect North Atlantic right whales, monitor lobster stocks and sustain the fishery.
Thompson, a fifth-generation lobsterman, and his lawyers say the warrantless tracking violates the Fourth Amendment and could weaken privacy protections for other regulated industries, including farming and ranching.
Despite the setback, Thompson said he will keep fighting to overturn the requirement, arguing expanding surveillance-heavy rules could erode a generations-old way of life.
Could a Supreme Court decision allowing GPS tracking on Maine lobster boats open the door for continuous digital surveillance in other regulated industries?
What happens to a Maine lobsterman's minute-by-minute personal location data once the government collects it under the guise of whale conservation?