There have been many reviews of the advisability of contracting out the production of anadromous smolts. The general conclusion is that programs run by the state have constraints such as stock (each stream with a different stock) that would severely cut into a private's profits. Also, the state has to rear anadromous fish to survive in the wild whereas privates produce fish that are confined their whole life. Now, the privates can do put and take trout as that is little different from a commercial grow and kill operation.

While I know that the Department of Salmon has not treated game fish and gamefish bios very well I am aware of a very nice summer run steelhead program that WDF ran on the Sol Duc. It was under the table, done because it was fun, etc but it was apparently very successful. And then WDG made a fuss and shut it down. There have been some interesting projects carried on at hatcheries by some inventive and inquisitive staff.