The U.S. Supreme Court is set to hear a pair of cases tomorrow that could have significant implications for family-owned fishing companies. These companies argue that government regulations are severely impacting their profits. For the past five decades, the federal government has required fishing vessels to carry onboard observers who document the type and amount of fish being caught. While the fishermen have no objections to having observers, they are now being asked to pay up to $700 per day for this service - a cost they believe is excessive.
The fishermen primarily engage in herring fishing, a process that can span up to a week on open waters. Sometimes, these trips yield no fish, resulting in a loss of income. Despite returning empty-handed, the fishing companies are still being required to cover the cost of the observers. Understandably, this has sparked outrage among the affected fishermen.
