From Fortune Magazine:

A group of lobster fishermen is suing fishing regulators over electronic monitoring requirements meant to protect rare whales. The Maine Department of Marine Resources’ new rule requires 24-hour monitoring devices on boats with federal lobster fishing permits. The lobstermen argue that this constitutes unwarranted surveillance of their fleet, and that their families have proven to be good stewards of the ocean. Commercial fishermen have long opposed fishing monitoring, viewing it as overreach. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission announced the monitoring rule in 2022, arguing that it’s vital to collect data that could benefit endangered right whales. Maine officials say the data over time will benefit the industry. The Maine Lobstering Union says not all of the lobstermen issued tracking devices have installed them and that a court hearing has not yet been scheduled.



Read more: Maine’s lobstermen fight tracking devices designed for endangered whales