5 minute read
An Interview with my Dad— Aquaculturist, Entrepreneur, and Coolest Guy Ever
by Brenna McWha
Aquaculture is the practice of farming aquatic plants and animals, similar to how agriculture farms terrestrial crops and livestock. It involves breeding, rearing, and harvesting fish, shellfish, plants, and other aquatic organisms in controlled environments like ponds, tanks, or cages.
Q: How did you discover your interest in aquaculture?
A: When I was a kid, my mom took me to Palisades Amusement Park in New Jersey. They had one of those games where you throw a ping pong ball to try to win a fish, and I was immediately drawn to it. I won the fish, brought it home, and learned how to take care of it. I got an aquarium and tended to the fish, learning how to keep it alive and well. That was when I first realized that aquatic life was something that really interested me.
Q: How did you decide that you wanted to pursue a career in aquaculture?
A: Once I was nearing the time of high school graduation, my mom sat me down in our kitchen and brought out a big book of different majors that were taught in colleges all across the country. She asked me what I wanted to do, and my immediate reaction was something in nature. The first thing we found in that book was a forestry school, so we went and toured a place near Lake Placid. Once I realized there were way too few girls in forestry school, I decided to look at some different options. When I really thought about what my passion was, it felt natural to say that it was fishing, and my interests in that area. Up until that point, I didn’t know this was something I could actually study in school. So when I saw an aquaculture program offered at the Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) in Jensen Beach, I knew that was where I needed to be. For the fish AND for the girls.
Q: Did moving to Florida, especially a place like Jensen Beach that is surrounded by so much water, change your perception of aquatic life?
A: It didn’t necessarily change my perception of aquatic life, but it did help to shape my hobbies and how I spent my time in the water. Instead of fishing all the time like I did when I was up north, I discovered surfing. For a while there I looked like Jeff Spicoli from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, with my sun-bleached hair and perpetual tan. Being in school though and learning all of these amazing things about the water around me really affirmed that I was on the right career path. Being miserable working odd jobs through college, like roofing and cashiering at the gas station, also made me super grateful for my ability to work in nature and be out on the water.
Q: How did you start your various aquaculture businesses?
A: Well, soon after I graduated FIT I got an opportunity to work with a clam farming company that had a hatchery and nursery in the Indian River Lagoon. I learned the trade there, and then later was tasked with starting up a clam farm for a larger company with the expertise I had learned. Eventually, I knew I had to move on and went to work with my good friends, Charlie and Bruce, who helped give me the guidance and trust to start building up my own business. They told me, “Once you go on your own, you’re never gonna work for anyone else again” - and they were right. By 1998, I had my own business, Aqua Gems Farms, that was a packing plant for clams and oysters. I also started Orchid Island Shellfish Company to farm and sell clams, which meant I could grow, harvest, pack, and sell shellfish all on my own. In 2006, I opened a fish market on the adjoining property of our packing plant, and designed it in the same style as the Florida cottage that I had recently built for my mom. It gave a certain cohesiveness to my work life and my home life.
Q: What is your favorite part about your job?
A: I love that almost every day it’s part of my job to get on a boat and be out on the water. I also love the processes related to my job. I think it’s amazing that I can take a small clam seed, plant it in the river, and eventually harvest it to either sell it in the market or use it for aquatic restoration purposes. It’s incredibly fulfilling that my role is to cultivate something, and take it through each step of its lifespan.
Q: Any parting wisdom to add to those who are wanting to pursue their passions?
A: The people around you can make or break you. I couldn’t have done any of this without the people who believed in me along the way. Make sure to surround yourself with people you trust and respect, and always pay forward the good fortune that others give to you.
