Fishery lawyer says he's victim of smear campaign

An attorney who prosecutes fishery law violators in the Northeast says he's a victim of a "smear campaign" after a federal report accused him of "animus" toward fishermen.

Charles Juliand was singled out in a report Thursday on the nation's troubled fishery enforcement agency by the U.S. Commerce Department's inspector general. The report said Juliand instructed a colleague to "jack up" fines and wrote mocking notes about fishermen. In a statement, Juliand said he always selected penalties based on evidence, not his personal feelings. He said his work record was impeccable, and called it "a sad day" when dedicated public servants are "allowed to be made scapegoats."

Juliand said as an ex-scalloper and brother of two fishermen, he was dedicated to protecting the industry from lawbreakers looking for an unfair advantage.