Meet Biota Hawaii's James Gorke

Want to learn more about the person who manages Biota's Hawaii aquaculture facility? James Gorke holds degrees in business management and aquaculture technologies. With over 10 years of experience, James cultured more than two dozen species of marine fishes and invertebrates. James further enhanced his qualifications through certifications from AALSO (Aquatic Animal Life Support Operators). James has also contributed to the academic world as an adjunct professor at Carteret Community College teaching Hatchery Management labs and classes.

During his tenure at CCC, James conducted research on blue crab rearing for food aquaculture. James also played a role in the establishment of Biota NC alongside his mentor Todd Gardner. James then ventured to Hawaii to manage Biota HI, a testament to his leadership skills and expertise in marine biology. His passion and expertise contributes to Biota's mission of promoting sustainable aquaculture practices and preserving our precious marine ecosystems.

Not only is James great at managing our Hawaiian facility's fish production, he has a quirky sense of humor that brings some sunshine to the Biota family every day. For his birthday this year, we knew we had to get him a gift that is as fun and silly as he is. We put our heads together and decided on this mug design, which is available on the Biota website.

Can you tell us what made you choose marine ornamental fish breeding as a passion and career?

Back when I was a teenager I became fascinated with aquariums. The beautiful animals cruising through the water with grace always had a comforting and calming presence. Whether it was planted tanks or reef tanks, having a tank to watch after a long day at work was such a nice way to break away from the hustle and bustle of busy life and enjoy a little slice of paradise in the comfort of my own home. I tried to share this passion with all of my friends and every customer that I would interact with at the pet stores I worked at. It wasn't just the visual beauty that held my attention, it was the unseen ecosystem that kept the balance of a healthy tank that really piqued my interest. My path into aquaculture began the same way most hobbies become jobs.As a broke highschooler and a similarly broke college student I realized that my passion for aquariums was bigger than my wallet was. Having an expensive hobby and little self control at the store are a bad mix so I needed to find a way to have my hobby support itself. I started by growing freshwater plants and shrimp as well as a few beginner corals and trading them to local stores for credit. This realization that it was possible to farm these organisms for some sort of value got me thinking about how to scale this to something that could actually support itself. Another important factor that drove me towards captive breeding was the difference in the animals themselves. When you work in a petstore, receive shipments of animals, and visit wholesalers you really start to see how tragic the health can be in wild caught fish. It wasn't uncommon to see entire shipments of fish come in completely covered in disease or to receive boxes of fish that you knew were no longer swimming before you even opened the box. It was heartbreaking to say the least. Meanwhile we would receive captive bred clownfish, seahorses, dottybacks, etc and rarely see that sort of thing. Not only were they usually healthier, but they were also excited to see me when the box was opened and the light shined in. While the wild caught fishes hid behind decorations and didn't want to eat, the captive bred fish would leave their bags and immediately come to the glass to watch me and beg for a snack. The personality of a fish really comes out when they are comfortable and see their humans as caretakers and food providers, rather than as abductors. I think everyone who has had a fish for a few years can attest to that. The captive bred fish almost always acted more like puppies than fish. My love for these animals and their well being really put aquaculture as a necessary path forward for the industry in my mind and set me on the path I've been walking for so long now.

What successes are you most proud of in your career?

There is so much I'm proud of in my career. Being here in the first place is definitely one of them. The ability to do what I love for a living is an amazing blessing that I can't overstate, and I owe that entirely to the amazing customers we have that support us and allow us to do what we do. It's an amazing feeling and I'm so grateful to everyone who has a Biota fish in their home. Of course I have some species I'm most proud of too. Working with Todd Gardner in North Carolina to bring his dreams of Cuban Basslets and Flathead Perch into a larger production and availability is definitely a big one. Personally, all of my reef tanks have been relatively small so my dream species always reflected this. I'm so grateful to have been able to provide the world with captive bred Royal Grammas and most recently Flame Angelfish. In all honesty though, the thing that makes me the most proud is seeing the animals we raise in their forever homes. It doesn't matter what fish it is, when I see photos, videos, or even comments and emails from customers about their Biota fish it makes me so happy. It brings me back to my days as a home aquarist. I know that every one of those animals is being watched, cared for, and loved by someone and that the work we do is improving the lives of our customers. Sometimes when we are working it's hard to see the forest for the trees. We love our fish but they aren't our fish. They are YOUR fish, and no matter how much we love them we know that you will love them even more because they are special to you. That is what really drives me to keep going in this industry. Everytime we get a message or photo of a fish we raised I like to show it to our team as a reminder of why we do this and how much impact the work we do has on people all across the world. I love seeing these come in, so if you have some of our fish I encourage you to send us something like this. It always brightens our day to see.

Biota captive bred tang "Lello" owned by aquarist Jocelyn Wilson

What species do you dream of breeding in the future?

There are plenty of projects in the works and lots of progress to be made. I won't spoil any surprises or attempt to predict the future. In my wildest dreams I would love to see myself breeding pufferfish, box fish, burfish, etc. The little goofballs with tiny fins and huge personalities. My favorite fish I ever owned was a pufferfish. I called him Porky Gorke, the porcupine puffer. I loved that fish so much. He was so entertaining, friendly, and smart. Porky Gorke left such a lasting impression on me and despite life changes requiring me to rehome him as I moved across the country, I have never forgotten his big smile and bright eyes.

When you’re not breeding fish, what do you like to do?

Well, to be honest I like to work. I spend a lot of my free time working as well. Whether it's planning systems, designing protocols, communicating with our awesome partners and colleagues. When I do take a few moments to myself I like to play video games, go on walks with my wife, and cook.

Any advice for aspiring fish breeders?

There are a million ways to get into the industry. Whether it's as a hobby, a side hustle, or a career. I recommend hobbyists who want to get started try to plan out a fish room, or maybe a second fish room specifically for breeding. There are lots of good resources online and in books. "The Complete Illustrated Breeder's Guide to Marine Aquarium Fishes" by Matthew Wittenrich was one of the books I read early on that really breaks down some of the basics and is a great bridge for a hobbyist aquarist to a hobbyist breeder. If you are interested in more in depth education and hands on experience it might be worth looking into finding a school near you that specializes specifically in Aquaculture. Carteret Community College in North Carolina is a fantastic example. If you are passionate about aquaculture, an education at CCC from Dave Cerino and Todd Gardner is well worth it. Above all, a strong work ethic and a passion for what we do will take you farther than anything else. This industry is very niche so getting your foot in the door and picking up a little experience somewhere will make a bigger difference than you think.