During my time at Roger Williams University, I was taught the intricacies of marine biology, aquaculture, and most importantly ethics within the aquarium trade.
While learning about all these amazing animals and the efforts to culture them across the globe, Andy made a point to mention the importance of the aquarium hobby on the local communities but how they are also being impacted by tons of outside forces. The most significant of those being changes in climate.
He touted the importance of keeping jobs in the hands of these people to ensure a sustainable future and long-term livelihood. Unfortunately, we are all also very aware that the climate is changing. In many of these areas around the world fish biomass is declining rapidly and globally down 20% in recent years and upwards of 45% in Hawai’i collection areas (EIS 5.4.3).
At Roger Williams I was taught the long-term solution to this problem was Aquaculture. Many of these islands and countries have the prime location for breeding aquarium fish. It keeps the revenues with the locals, gives long term sustainable jobs to the area, and overall gives a better product to the aquarium hobby.
Biota does that.
We support farms in Bali, Kosrae, Egypt, and Panama. We have farms in Palau and Hawaii that give long term jobs, education in aquaculture, benefit to the communities, and benefit to the hobby. These are long-term jobs that aren’t going to be impacted by future laws as ocean conditions continue to get worse with no slowdown on the horizon.
I would have hoped someone I considered a mentor would have been proud I have taken their lessons so critically that I now manage one of the most progressive ornamental aquaculture companies in the world. Instead, unfortunately this week we have been attacked throughout the industry for expressing our opinion on a future law and recently attacked by Professor Rhyne.
Although the industry may have differing opinions, we all have seen where the future of this industry leads and only survives with aquaculture. The only way to get there is to invest in these future technologies now, not 5, 10, 15 years down the road. The truth is fisheries are diminishing, the planet is struggling, and the hobby is a pivotal point.
The industry was not prepared when the Finding Nemo bump spiked clownfish collection 40%, the industry was not prepared when Indonesia shut down, the industry was not prepared when Hawaii shut down but each of those spawned innovations from companies around the industry. We cannot keep reacting to the changes in the landscape but instead be proactive to aquaculture.
Unfortunately, I believe we are going to look back at these comments, articles, and accusations years from now as a stain on the hobby. We no longer celebrate scientific breakthroughs and future proofing, but only rare animals taken from rarer places in less and less quantities.
We don’t know if the industry is ready for Biota but Biota is ready for the challenges of the future of the industry.
Sources:
https://phys.org/news/2026-02-ocean-annual-decline-fish-biomass.html
https://www.rwu.edu/news/news-archive/leaving-dory-rwu-marine-scientist-weighs-impact-blockbuster-cartoon-franchise
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