Maine lobsterman takes GPS tracker fight to Supreme Court, calls it 'government surveillance'

A Maine lobsterman is taking a GPS-tracker requirement to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing it amounts to “government surveillance.” The case centers on whether Maine can require federally permitted lobster and Jonah crab boats to keep GPS devices running at all times, including when they aren’t actively fishing commercially. The Supreme Court is set to hear the challenge on September 28, brought by Frank Thompson, a fifth-generation lobsterman near Vinalhaven. Lower courts rejected his bid in 2023 and again in 2025. The Maine Department of Marine Resources says the trackers improve data collection in federal waters, while Thompson and other fishers argue the rule goes beyond commercial activity because boats are also used personally.