State Attorney General Martha Coakley has sent a de facto Freedom of Information Act request to the federal government for documents she believes will shed light on the administrative response at the Department of Commerce and NOAA to law enforcement abuses against fishermen.
Coakley made a broad request for internal documents reflecting decisions made inside the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration against disciplining law enforcement agents and litigators. whose improper actions over many years led to Cabinet-level apologies and reparations paid to 11 individuals and fishing businesses, including the Gloucester Seafood Display Auction. this past summer.
The apologies were issued last May while NOAA administrator Jane Lubchenco was in Gloucester in an attempt to reset the relationship with the industry.
Read the complete story from The Gloucester Times.