Bill Gerencer--40 plus year veteran of the New England Working Waterfront having participated as sternman, commercial fisherman, fishmonger (Foley Fish), participant in fishery management--NEFMC Groundfish Advisory Panel (20 years) and the OFS Highly Migratory Species AP (17 years), on the board of directors of the Portland Fish Exchange (10 years), seafood trainer, and oyster curator. Now enjoying retirement as a part-time oyster farmer, seafood consultant, and author will speak about his book Working Waterfront - A Fish Tale.

I have a second, parallel career in cooking: My first job was washing dishes in a restaurant at age 14. I worked in kitchens during high school, college, cooked on fishing boats, and worked nights as a line cook for a few years after coming ashore to make ends meet. I was the Friday cook at St Vincent De Paul Soup Kitchen in Portland Maine for 15 years, my wife and I owned a summer restaurant in Edgecomb Maine for 4 years (don't ask!) and  spent a lot of time in kitchens as a fishmonger both teaching, and learning from some pretty good chefs. We may not have to mention the cooking history.