There is something else going on, I think, with the world of WA fish management. When I started the practice was to bring in entry level folks (Bio 1, Fish Culturist 1) and promote up the chain into leadership positions.

Now, it seems, if you come in at low level there is a ceiling above which you can't rise. The leaders come in from the outside. You lose not only institutional memeory but actual folks who worked in the field, talked to the users, and so on. Bringing in folks from outside is a good way to ensure that they accept what you tell them is gospel.