Team - Great Falls Aquaculture

Employee Spotlight: Meet Julia...

Photo credit: Wright-Moore Photo

Great Falls Start Date: December 2020
Position: Fish Technician

We asked....

Where are you from?
Julia: Mahopac, NY
If you could learn to do anything what would it be?
Julia: Pilot a plane
What would you name the autobiography of your life?
Julia: Wet Feet
What is one chore you love doing?
Julia: A chore I absolutely LOVE doing is watering all my plants.
What's your favorite indoor/outdoor activity?
Julia: Indoor-video/board/card games.
Outdoor-fishing.
If you could meet anyone dead or alive, who would it be?
Julia: My grandmother.
How do you define success?
Julia: Happiness.
What is your favorite thing about working at Great Falls?
Julia: It challenges me both mentally and physically.
What is your favorite way to prepare Barramundi?
Julia: Pan seared, skin on. Crispy skin is like the bacon of fish.

Our Team

Great Falls Aquaculture employs aquaculturists from the greater western Massachusetts area. Many of the employees have over 5 years experience at the farm, with some having more than 20 years. The hands-on owners have extensive experience in aquaculture and engineering. Each team member is dedicated and focused to producing the best product possible.

Spencer Gowan - General Manager
Spencer started his career in commercial aquaculture as an entry level hatchery/nursery technician at the same barramundi farm that is now Great Falls Aquaculture. Almost years 10 years later, after wearing many hats on the production side of the operation, and taking a two year hiatus to complete a Master's of Science degree at Auburn University, he is now the General Manager of the facility. He finds the work at the fish farm challenging in all the right ways, and considers himself very lucky to be able to work with such a great team. When he is not at the farm or thinking about the farm, he enjoys spending time with his family and doing anything that gets him outdoors.

Peter Doyle - Process Manager
Pete has been the the Quality Assurance/Processing Manager for almost 8 years at the Turners Falls farm. He oversees the processing room and team to ensure that all our food safety and quality standards are met. Pete has received his HACCP certification and is the key employee for managing the HACCP and sanitation plans. His background also includes over 20 years experience with C&S Wholesale Grocers, starting as a Selector and working his way up to Lead Produce Inspector. When he’s not working, Pete is spending time with his wife of ten years, their five children and six grandchildren. He enjoys watching sports, working on his house and playing golf and basketball.

Sasha Dyer - Fish Health
If you were to ask her parents, they would tell you that Sasha has been involved with aquaculture since she was a toddler. Growing up on a pond she was always collecting and hatching eggs in mason jars. She spent summers working on a local trout farm Her love of aquaculture brought her to Unity College where she received a BS in environmental science with emphasis in Aquaculture. Upon completion of her internship at a fish health lab in Idaho, she knew she wanted to specialize in fish health. Earning her degree in 1995 she started working at Aquafuture in Turners falls, three days after graduation. At that time, they were one of only a handful of companies raising fish in a recirculating system, let alone an indoor one. Over the years the company changed hands, as well as species of fish, but her efforts remained the same, ensuring the health and welfare of the fish in the building. Although she has consulted with other fish farms throughout the years, she will jokingly tell you that she has been looking at fish under the microscope in Turners Falls, since before some of the fish technicians were “hatched” themselves.

Rocky Perham - Facility Manager
Rocky arrived at the farm in 1990, during initial construction, and has worn many hats since, including construction supervisor, senior fish culturist, growth modeling & fish health supervisor and purchasing. He has degrees in biochemistry and fisheries genetics, but the engineering, design and construction of fish culture systems remain closest to his heart. Rocky regularly commutes by bicycle from his Greenfield home when there’s not ice on the roads or rain in the air.