User blog comment:Pawn of Atlas/Important Discussion for Rapture Storyline page/@comment-1500935-20140403184252/@comment-75.36.136.124-20140406094137

Unfortunately it still doesnt explain why there is 'gathering' already in Rapture (so early ... pre-Kashmir) when the lack of that many corpses or the increased need for ADAM really took place.

Even when 'gathering' started there was a time lag before the loss of Little Sisters (wandering by themselves) precipitated the idea of 'Protectors' for them. (another span of time)

The whole 'Protector' project itself would take time to setup, do the development, work several unsuccessful subjects, get far enough along to actually put the test subjects out on 'the street".  So the start (and the need to start) would have to predate the New Years Eve timepoint by some significant amount.

Is it likely Ryan would fund anything like this when there was no real need for it ??

Far enough back and it would be Fontaine having to fund it.