In my experience working with the hatchery managers there were some really smart and inventive folks out there. And curious. Some sockeye came back so they reared sockeye. They reared coho and steelhead in the same raceway and got wonderful returns on the summers. Somebody crossed coho and Chinook and got a fish eating machine that not only cleaned out isolated ponds of unwanted invasives but they then committed piscicide on spinners.

Where I was, when I was there (over most of my career) curiosity was encouraged. See what will happen. Most of it never went anywhere because the upper levels weren't impressed but we had fun.