CURRENTLY THE MAJORITY OF OYSTER FARMERS THAT PLANT OYSTERS DIRECTLY ON THE SEAFLOOR USE LARGE VESSELS TO HARVEST OYSTERS FROM THEIR LEASE. UNFORTUNATELY MANY USE SMALL OYSTER DREDGES THAT ARE NO LARGER THAN 48 INCHES WIDE TO HARVEST, BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT IS USED IN THE WILD COMMERCIAL OYSTER FISHERY. IT RESULTS IN A MISMATCH BETWEEN THE POWER OF THE HARVEST VESSEL AND THE HARVEST EQUIPMENT. THIS PROJECT WILL PARTNER WITH THE NORTH POINT HIGH SCHOOL WELDING CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAM TO DESIGN AND BUILD LARGER OYSTER DREDGES THAN ARE COMMONLY USED. PROJECT PIS WILL ASSIST INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS IN IMPROVING BOAT EQUIPMENT AND RIGGING TO PULL THE LARGER DREDGES. INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS WILL TEST OUT THE LARGER DREDGES ON THEIR ACTIVE OYSTER AQUACULTURE LEASES. PROJECT PIS WILL MONITOR THE HARVEST TO DETERMINE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF LARGER DREDGES. IN ADDITION PROJECT PIS WILL WORK WITH INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS TO DETERMINE IF OYSTERS CAN BE HARVESTED FASTER WITH THE LARGER DREDGES AT A LOWER COST THAN WITH THE USE OF TRADITIONALLY SIZED DREDGES. PROJECT PIS AND INDUSTRY PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN IF LARGER DREDGES ARE MORE EFFICIENT FOR HARVESTING OYSTERS IN AQUACULTURE OPERATIONS. IF SUCCESSFUL WE EXPECT THE OYSTER AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY TO ADOPT THE USE OF LARGER DREDGES. THIS WILL INCREASE PROFITS TO OYSTER FARMERS, RESULTING ON THE EXPANSION OF THE OYSTER AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY.