Farmed scallops are grown in lantern nets which means the male and female scallops are quite cosy, in close proximity to one another. So is it any wonder that when they spawn at the end of the summer the male and female gametes encounter each other and the result is fertilization? Since this 'romantic' drama is happening in the ocean, the resulting tiny offspring are carried out of the nets by the currents. Result? The wild stock benefits from the farming operation.
Those of us who love to eat both the whole farmed scallops and the wild caught scallops' adductor muscles are ultimately the winners. Pretty sweet valentine!
You can read about Hurricane Island's studies to document this phenomenon with data here:
https://www.hurricaneisland.net/current-research-projects