Frank Roberts

Years of Participation

Frank Roberts is the owner of Lady's Island Oyster in Beaufort, South Carolina where he has been growing his signature oyster, the Single Lady, since 2007. Frank's interest in oysters began as a boy on his grandparents farm in Maryland. His curiosity drove him to learn more about aquaculture while working as a police officer and upon retirement was well positioned to indulge his passion for aquaculture full time. He uses off-bottom methods such as tiered trays and floating OysterGro gear to produce oysters destined for restaurants in the Charleston, Beaufort, and Hilton Head areas. In 2014, Frank started his own hatchery to have access to a reliable supply of seed for his business and to help the South Carolina oyster mariculture industry out of infancy. There are now several oyster farms in South Carolina as a result of Frank’s efforts and because oyster mariculture is as much a conservation tool as it is a business opportunity there is no reason not to grow more.