Supreme Court Declines to Hear Lobsterman’s GPS Tracking Challenge, Leaving Privacy Fight Unresolved

Maine lobsterman Frank Thompson’s appeal against a federal GPS‑tracking mandate for licensed lobster boats was denied by the Supreme Court, leaving a First Circuit ruling in place that the requirement does not violate the Fourth Amendment. Thompson, who argues the black‑box device turns his boat into a “24/7 ankle bracelet,” has been fighting the mandate since 2023, citing privacy concerns that could extend to other regulated industries. The Maine Department of Marine Resources and the Conservation Law Foundation defend the rule as essential for protecting endangered right whales and sustaining the lobster fishery, while the American Farm Bureau Federation filed an amicus brief warning that the decision could erode Fourth Amendment protections for farmers and ranchers. Thompson vows to continue legal action, framing the fight as a broader struggle for privacy and independence in regulated trades.