My experience is that the Agency will throw whomever screams the loudest under the bus. Need more money? Suggest that hatcheries, especially those if the districts of powerful legislators, get closed. The money gets added and the "desirable" projects stay funded.

One year, though, I recall the Leg wised up. The hatchery budget was line item, which meant it could only be spent there.

It has been a decade or so but as I recall the vanity plates brought in more money that the agency wanted spend on non-game. Wonder how that bullet hole in foot has healed.