THE SOUTH CAROLINA (SC) AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY IS EMBRYONIC. DESPITE THE RECOGNIZED ADVANTAGES OF RURAL AQUACULTURE, LITTLE RESEARCH HAS BEEN DONE TO ASSESS ITS DIRECT, INDIRECT, AND INDUCED IMPACTS ON FOOD SECURITY AND POVERTY MITIGATION, ESPECIALLY IN SC. OUR PROPOSED PROJECT WILL INTEGRATE OUR TEAMS' ACQUIRED MULTIDISCIPLINARY KNOWLEDGE AROUND THE ECONOMIC, REGULATORY, AND SOCIAL FACTORS LIMITING THE GROWTH OF SHELLFISH AQUACULTURE IN SOUTH CAROLINA. THIS WILL ENABLE THE DEVELOPMENT OF A FRAMEWORK OUTLININGSUCCESSFUL APPROACHES TO THE CREATION AND EXPANSION OF THE LOCAL AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY. DEVELOPMENT OF A LOCAL CAPACITY TO FARM SHELLFISH WILL PROVIDE DIRECT EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES, RELIEVE PRESSURES FROM REGIONAL HARVESTS, INCREASE PROSPECTS FOR AUGMENTING AND/OR RESTORING NATIVE REEFS, GROW THE NUMBER OF TOURIST-FRIENDLY ACTIVITIES, AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES. OUR TEAM APPROACH INTEGRATING EFFORTS FROM ACADEMICS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPERS, STATE AGENCIES, AND PRIVATE BUSINESSES WILL ADDRESS DIRECTLY IDENTIFIED QUESTIONS AND OBSTACLES TO AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS THE ADVANCEMENT OF INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS. SPECIFICALLY WE WILL (1) INVESTIGATE GROWERS' AND CONSUMERS' PERCEPTIONS OF LOCAL GROW-OUT OF SHELLFISH; (2) APPLY STANDARDIZED SOCIOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES TO IDENTIFY SOCIETAL AND STAKEHOLDER UNDERSTANDINGS AND PERCEPTIONS AS WELL AS POTENTIAL CONFLICTS TO AQUACULTURE DEVELOPMENT; (3) USE IMPLAN SOFTWARE TO ASSESS ECONOMIC POTENTIAL AND DEVELOP A RIGOROUS ECONOMIC MODEL ALONG WITH A PUTATIVE BUSINESS PLAN THAT MAXIMIZES THE CHANCES FOR SUCCESS; (4) INTEGRATE OUR UNDERSTANDINGS FROM 1-3 WITH AN ANALYSIS OF SC POLICIES TO IDENTIFY THE MOST APPROPRIATE PATH FORWARD.