Standing in a gently rocking boat anchored in St. George Sound, an estuary in the Apalachicola Bay system tucked between St. George Island and the Florida Panhandle mainland, Morgan Hawkins steadies herself while gently prying open a scallop’s shell.

This bay scallop, one of 60 she is in the process of collecting as part of a study at Florida State University’s Coastal and Marine Laboratory to identify biological differences between hatchery-raised and wild-origin scallops, contains a cluster of bright orange eggs, signaling a mass spawn is imminent.

After arriving back at the FSUCML dock in St. Teresa, Hawkins places the specimens in holding tanks where they will be kept in stable conditions to prolong a spawning attempt. The study’s goals also include determining any limitations present when using cultured scallops in population restoration.

On her way out for the night, Hawkins checks on the scallops one last time and sees spawning has already begun. Acting quickly, she separates each scallop into its own individual container so she can also collect their floating gametes — scallops reproduce by releasing both eggs and sperm cells. Fertilized eggs develop into swimming larvae known as veligers, which metamorphose into juvenile scallops within two weeks.

“For my research, I get to witness life under the microscope,” Hawkins said. “After I grab their gametes, I combine eggs and sperm. Then I watch the scallops grow from a virtually invisible creature to an adult that fits in your palm. It is super rewarding, and I get a kick out of it every time.”

Hawkins, a fourth-year doctoral student studying ecology and evolutionary biology through the Department of Biological Science, used a mass spawning event from two years ago as the basis of her dissertation research, which explores releasing hatchery-raised shellfish into the wild to restore the collapsed scallop populations in local seagrass beds. Her work falls under FSUCML’s broader Apalachicola Bay System Initiative, a program conducting research to inform sustainable management and restoration methods to aid regulation by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

“Morgan’s focus on bay scallops is an inspired choice that distinguishes her work within our oyster-focused shellfish hatchery,” said Joel Trexler, FSUCML director and professor of biological science. “She has now established bay scallops as an additional hatchery priority for FSUCML that will likely continue beyond her time at the lab, expanding the positive impact FSUCML can have for those who harvest scallops.”

As an estuary, or a mix of saltwater and freshwater, Apalachicola Bay is an ecological nursery where many animals reproduce and grow. Shellfish thrive in estuaries, and wild oyster harvesting was a staple of the local economy for over a century until the ecosystem collapsed. A multi-year drought and the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill were among major contributors to the collapse. After the oil spill, fishery managers declared open season on oysters, trying to remove as many shellfish from the water as possible before the oil crept in. While this worked in the short-term, Apalachicola Bay was declared a commercial fishery disaster in 2013. The oyster fishery’s five-year closure will be lifted in December 2025.

“Shellfish are like the Brita filters of our waterways, and it is a cascading effect once they are lost from the ecosystem,” Hawkins said. “Because we let the oyster population decline so severely, we are seeing effects in other species, too, such as stone crabs. You often find stone crabs hiding under structures created when oysters settle onto surfaces like rocks and wooden pilings.”

Hawkins’ research seeks to improve hatchery methods that maximize the chance for hatchery-raised shellfish to survive once released into the environment. Funded by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Aquaculture Review Council, her first project focuses on increasing rates of survival and settlement for scallops, oysters and clams. During their larval stage, she added a commercial probiotic typically used in shrimp farming into the larval culture water, significantly enhancing the oysters’ growth and survival. Hawkins will present her findings at the National Shellfisheries Association’s annual conference in March 2025.

Her second and current research project aims to identify subtle biological differences between hatchery-raised and wild scallops, which could potentially impair the former’s eventual adaptation to natural habitats. As the final endeavor for her doctoral program, Hawkins will release hatchery-raised scallops into the wild and observe them over 10 months.

“Morgan works extremely hard and is dedicated to her research, which she views as a personal vocation,” said Sandra Brooke, FSUCML research faculty and Hawkins’ doctoral adviser. “She has the potential to make significant contributions to marine science and conservation during her career as well as be an effective role model and ambassador for women in STEM.”

After graduation, Hawkins hopes to establish her own conservation research and development mariculture center, using her research expertise to support her entrepreneurial goals.

Kendall Cooper is an FSU alumna who earned a bachelor’s degree in media and communication studies with a double major in editing, writing and media in 2023. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in media and communication studies with a certification in project management and is set to graduate in May 2025.