"On the Outer Banks," said Susan West, a reporter who writes for the Outer Banks Sentinel, "yes, I think the feelings are nearly universal."
She said the attitude of law enforcement, which is part of a regional regime based in Gloucester, is to treat the fishermen as if they are outlaws or serfs, subject to the whims of the lords and masters and entrapped over and over again by irreconcilable regulations that bring them fines and penalties out of proportion to the severity of the crimes.
"Intimidation" is a constant quality of the federal-fisherman relationship, said Sean McKeon, president of the North Carolina Fisheries Association. He said the NOAA officers often behave like fictional "Smokeys" who enjoy using the authority of the badge.