Virtual Press Conference: Mexican Gulf Fishermen Victory and What It Means for SCOTUS

NCLA hosts a virtual press conference to cover the recent major win for charter boat fishermen across the Gulf of Mexico and how this decision could impact a similar case currently pending before the U.S. Supreme Court, Loper Bright Enterprises, et al. v. Gina Raimondo, et al.

WHO: Captain Allen Walburn of A&B Charters, NCLA Senior Litigation Counsel John J. Vecchione, and Greg Grimsal of Gordon Arata Montgomery Barnett take questions from reporters and provide analysis on the impact of this ruling.

WHAT: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit set aside a controversial Final Rule, which required 24-hour GPS tracking of recreational charter boat fishing vessels and reporting of confidential economic data. NCLA represents more than 1,300 federally permitted charter boat owners in the class-action lawsuit, Mexican Gulf Fishing Company v. U.S. Department of Commerce.

As Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod wrote in her decision, “in promulgating this regulation, the Government committed multiple independent Administrative Procedure Act violations, and very likely violated the Fourth Amendment.”

The discussion also covers the upcoming mandate being issued, whether or not the Government will file a cert petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, and how this decision might affect another future Supreme Court fish case, Loper Bright Enterprises, et al. v. Gina Raimondo, et al., a closely watched suit in which SCOTUS will decide a challenge over how courts assess federal rule-making.