Note: This story first appeared in Chesapeakeville and is republished with permission.
By Timothy Thompson
During Virginia’s impressive shellfish aquaculture growth over the past two decades, the Shore in particular has seen very talented northern men and women be a big asset to the industry. Back in the day, it was rare for an outsider (come-here) to make it in the seafood business and be accepted. But since the 1990s educated and self-taught shellfish farmers have directly contributed to the state’s national leadership, brain trust, and — healthiest of all — competitive camaraderie and cooperation.
Many of the aquaculturists have come from New England and fit in for they share the same love of the water, seafood, and hard work as natives. Most are also highly educated, but one Massachusetts native Bob Boardman is the uncommon self-taught farmer who is the general manager of a large operation, multi-talented and was an industry pioneer. He’s been growing oysters around Chincoteague and upper Bayside for 22 years and has earned the respect of his science-degreed peers and seafood companies.
Raised on Cape Cod, his youth was spent fishing and helping out at the bait shop. One day, the owner showed him how he was growing oyster seed in a tank. Boardman’s eyes got real big and he blurted out, “This is the career I want to work in.” He got to know the guys at nearby Mook Sea Farms (oyster & clam seed), learned about aquaculture and expressed an interest in joining the company one day. Without college as an option, Boardman became a painting contractor. Several years later while at a sport fishing tournament in Charleston (SC), he got a phone call from Mook. They wanted him to go to a place called Chincoteague to manage a shellfish operation. Boardman had no idea where it was but got in his car and drove straight there.
Supplied with Mook’s seed, he first grew clams then switched to oysters using a crude nursery and off-bottom cages. There were successes but many setbacks. Eventually, Boardman grew oysters in volume. While in Chincoteague, he met a graduate student named Tim Rapine and they bonded over their passion for farming and field work. Boardman could tell Rapine was a special talent and saw him go on to be operations director for Cherrystone Aqua Farms. They remain industry friends. While at Mook, Boardman met Gerry Negley, a successful entrepreneur in 2005 who wanted to get into oyster farming. Aligned with the same mission, in 2008 they started Tarkill Aquaculture and leased 55 acres on Bayside near McKinney Island and in Chincoteague and got hard at work.
Year by year, Boardman along with his four-man crew has tirelessly worked their 3,000 oyster cages to produce shellfish that stand apart from competitors, especially from other states who can’t match Virginia’s consistent quality and taste profile. Oyster farming is a constant challenge to monitor and navigate a multiplicity of factors — oyster growth cycle, weather, air temperature, water temperature, wind, tide and seasons — to insure they are healthy and growing to market size. Though the farm and other farmers have experienced die-offs in recent years from “spring mortality,” for which scientists have no answer, Boardman has been harvesting over one million oysters a year. Only through his aggressive oyster cage management practices has Boardman been able to work through the problem. With his eye constantly on quality, he reliably supplies restaurant customers in D. C., Baltimore, and Philadelphia and they’re the “house oyster” for Ropewalk restaurants.
What’s fascinating about Boardman is despite not having a degree, he is a multi-talented oyster entrepreneur capable of handling an array of critical jobs for the company. He’s the classic behind-the-scenes guy whose life and passion centers around aquaculture. To judge Boardman on his appearance would be deceiving Not the typical academic-minded farmer, his rumpled look combines an intelligent and pragmatic aquaculture mind and a strong work ethic in the field alongside his crew with no fear of the weather. Plus, he handles sales and makes special deliveries to keep chefs happy. Dedicated to quality, Boardman is bluntly honest and stands behind his product. Integrity matters. He also invented a wet storage system for oysters that’s been adopted by other farmers. For all these reasons, this New Englander has been an asset to the Shore oyster aquaculture industry and a come-here who found his home on the Eastern Shore.