And despite getting an earful, Alan Risenhoover judged the meeting "a good first step" in the effort to heal open wounds caused by documented abuse of authority on the part of law enforcement agents with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Risenhoover and an entourage headed by Charles Greene — a deputy general counsel for enforcement and litigation — were here for a series of private meetings.

The meeting with Kirk, state Sen. Bruce Tarr, attorneys Stephen Ouellette, Paul Muniz and Pamela LaFreniere of New Bedford was organized in place of a public law enforcement meeting at NMFS' regional offices.

Risenhoover and his party are also scheduled to meet with the Ciulla family, owners and operators of the Gloucester Seafood Display Auction, whose bitter legal struggle against three enforcement actions sparked the national uprising against excessive and improperly motivated federal fisheries police.

Read the complete story at The Gloucester Daily Times.