November 15, 2022 — New Jersey fishing firms want the U.S. Supreme Court to review a lower court order that forces them to pay the salaries of federally mandated onboard monitors, arguing it’s the perfect opportunity to overturn a cornerstone precedent that gives federal agencies wide latitude to interpret laws.
The fishing companies say the National Marine Fisheries Service’s (NMFS) salary rule is too onerous, requiring them to not only give up valuable space on their small boats for the observers but also pay them over $700 a day. The companies have said those fees can reduce returns by 20%.