Maine’s top fisheries regulator is currently in the midst of a legal battle over a new rule requiring electronic location tracking for some lobster boats. The regulator argues that this tracking constitutes a legitimate administrative search of commercial premises.
The rule is currently under fire from a lawsuit, brought forth by a number of lobster fishers. The crux of the lawsuit suggests that the mandatory tracking infringes upon the fishers’ constitutional rights. Responding vigorously, the head of the state’s fisheries sector is urging a federal judge to dismiss the case.
Efforts to further the use of technology in commercial fishing activities have been attempts to increase accountability and sustainability within the industry. However, the introduction of such measures often sparks heated debates about privacy and government oversight, putting industry regulators and practitioners at odds.
For those interested in the in-depth details of these ongoing legal proceedings, the original report on this development can be found at Law360.