The U.S. Supreme Court is taking up a case that could severely limit the powers of federal agencies and a group of New Jersey fishing operations are at the heart of the debate. Eight Cape May-based fishing companies are seeking to overturn a federal rule that requires them to pay for third-party monitors on their fishing trips — meant to ensure that fishing regulations are being followed at sea. But the industry argues the requirement is a costly government overreach.
The case is expected to focus on the so-called Chevron deference principle, which for decades has led the court to defer ambiguous law enforcement questions to the agencies themselves. The Chevron deference principle has long been a target of conservative judicial activists. The case is likely to be argued this fall, and a decision could come next year.
