As Carcassman says, under a different survival situation, the yearlings contribute a lot more fish to these fisheries than fingerlings. All you have to do is look at the CWT information from the early years of the program. However, that currently is not the case. I also suspect that some at the department may be looking for rationale to fund some programs with PSRFE funds that might otherwise go away. Nevertheless, the contribution rates that I referenced (from the PSRFE page) make it quite clear what is happening.

Again, I am pleased that people are actually looking at what is currently happening rather than simply repeating the dogma that only yearlings and yearlings only contribute to blackmouth fisheries. That statement has never been true although many of the old guard at the department would go to their graves with it on their lips.