After 45 years spent in local waters, Bill Gerencer is sharing his experiences in his new coming-of-age memoir, “Working Waterfront: A Fish Tale.” The atmosphere Sept. 17 at Boothbay Harbor Memorial Library (BHML) was perfectly curated for the night’s lecture, with attendees enjoying seafood refreshments prepared by Gerencer while they sat under a trawl net that hung from the ceiling.  

Inspired by the likes of Anthony Bourdain and Jill Conner Browne’s snark-filled "Sweet Potato Queen" series, the memoir takes readers through vignettes of Gerencer’s life in his quest to feed people, whether it's through commercial fishing or in the kitchens he’s been inhabiting since he was 14.

Gerencer explained that the waterfront and kitchens inhabit a similar place on “the margins of society," where the workdays are hard and long but addictive. “There's a culture there about getting things done...(It’s) rewarding and almost joyful to work in that kind of atmosphere, and you depend on the people alongside you,” he said.

Even though sometimes those people seem intent on riling you up, Gerencer shared one anecdote from the book of his troubles with an older coworker, Sheldon, at Luke’s Shipyard in Boothbay during his 20s. After relentless teasing from Sheldon, which included an unfortunate nickname resulting from a drill-dropping incident, Gerencer finally snapped and threatened to marry the man’s daughter if he didn't quit. On reflection, Gerencer doesn't know why he said that, but it was effective. Sheldon didn't talk to him for two years after.  

Gerencer also shared memories from the water: the beauty of the open sea, the stretching blackness, and the full moon and stars that hung overhead. Then, there were moments of freezing cold, with temperatures hitting -20F and 40 knot winds spraying ice crystals in his face. “There are no days at sea. There's one long day that starts when you untie the lines and ends when you come back in. And the sun can rise and set eight times during that long day.”

Interspersed with recollections, Gerencer has included recipes and recommendations from the proper way to cook a lobster to nine dishes for his nine favorite fish. However, Gerencer warned that his work shouldn't be mistaken for a cookbook. You’ll have to look up some stuff yourself.  

“My feeling is that food is sacred, because without food, you die, and in most cases, for something to become food, it has to die. So, every recipe needs a teaspoon of respect and a tablespoon of reference. Sustainable management is part of that.”

Gerencer finished the night by examining the region’s sustainable fishing practices, with an emphasis on ground fish. He has previously worked as an advisor to the New England and Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Councils, as well as the US Office of Sustainable Fisheries' Highly Migratory Species Division. He also spent 10 years on the board of directors of Portland Fish Exchange.

According to Gerencer, the ability to accurately assess ground fish levels is at a historically low point. “We used to be really good, and by accurate, I mean say plus or minus 2%; it's now plus or minus 40.” This is partly due to how commercial fishing has gone from being open sea to being enclosed with boxed-off sections and areas of temporary closure. There are also cascading effects from measures taken to stop the extreme overfishing seen in the past.

This past year, he said that 60 million pounds of fish were left in the water, and that conversations need to be had about whether this is something the U.S. wants to continue doing. “The threat is no longer to the fish; it's to the fishing community.”

The book is available for purchase at all Sherman’s locations and on Amazon.