Frank Thompson catches lobsters in Maine. The state requires fishermen with national fishing permission to put tracking devices on their boats. These show each boat’s location. Thompson went to court. He said the rule broke his right to privacy. He lost an earlier court case.
On 5 October, the top US court refused to hear his case. His lawyers say around 1,200 fishermen can face tracking. They say the fight against government tracking continues.
State officials say boat information helps them manage fishing and check that fishermen follow rules. Environmental groups welcomed the decision. They want better protection for rare whales. These whales can get caught in fishing equipment. The groups also want closer checks on falling lobster numbers.
