The Blue Hill Library and Blue Hill Books are cosponsoring an author talk with local author and retired commercial fisherman William 'Bill' Gerencer for his new book Working Waterfront:  A Fish Tale on Thursday, December 18 at 7PM in the library's Howard Room.

Part memoir, part master class in seafood, Working Waterfront combines Gerencer's reflections on his career with larger considerations and histories of an industry dealing with transitioning to sustainable fishing and climate change. 

"Gerencer gives a behind-the-scenes look at the seafood trade, warts and all. He writes about the good people in the business, but also tells quite a few stories with a lot of salty language about the unsavory side of things: the black market, alcohol, guns, and the wheeling and dealing. In so doing, the book gives the reader a vivid and detailed sense of place wherever it takes you." - Clarke Canfield, Island Institute

Bill Gerencer is a 45 year veteran of the New England Working Waterfront. He worked as a sternman, commercial fisherman,  fishmonger, and oyster farmer. Bill also served on the New England Fisheries Management Council Groundfish Advisory Panel, the Office of Sustainable Fisheries Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel, the Trawl Survey Advisory Panel and as a director of the Portland Fish Exchange. He is currently retired and employed part-time at an oyster farm, works as a seafood consultant, and author.

This program is free and open to all, and will be held in the library's Howard Room. Copies of the book will be available for purchase from Blue Hill Books. For more information, please call the library at 374-5515 or email Assistant Director Kayleigh Thomas at kayleigh.thomas@bhpl.net.