Locke on Thursday decided to appoint a special master to review the cases examined this year by Inspector General Todd J. Zinser. His scathing report supported a decade of complaints by Northeast fishermen that the fisheries law enforcers were often vindictive and excessive, issuing threats and slapping heavy fines even for minor first-time violations.

Meanwhile, one of the attorneys whose actions were sharply criticized in the probe lashed out at Zinser.

Charles "Chuck" Julian, speaking through a NOAA employees' union, wrote in an open letter: "I wish to state, unequivocally, that I have always based my charging, and settlement, decisions in individual cases on the strength of the evidence in the case file, the enforcement history of the accused party, the seriousness of the offense and other relevant factors. I have never chosen a proposed penalty level based upon my personal feelings toward the accused or his lawyer. Any claims to the contrary are baseless and constitute an unwarranted attack on my character."

To which Larry Yacubian, a former New Bedford scalloper who was forced out of the business by Julian's prosecution, responded, "He's a horrible human being."

Yacubian said Friday in a telephone interview that Julian seemed to take delight in punishing him for a first-time violation of a closed area. "It was sheer gloating and amusement," he said. "I got the death sentence on my first charge."

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