1996 - Our First Egg Boxes
In 1996 we really began to roll. We added an Egg Incubator project to "jump start" small tributary streams depleted of rearing stock. Members worked closely with the local hatchery to obtain 'eyed' Coho with genetics native to the Lewis, and deposited them into five egg boxes in tributaries of the Lewis River watershed. Volunteers monitor the incubators for silt deposits and water flow. During the eight-week incubation, the fish eggs transform into fry, absorbing their egg sack and escaping into the stream. 98 percent of the eggs incubated escape to the stream. We estimate we put at least 69,000 fry into the system annually.

1997 - Our First Streamside Project
In the year 1997 we completed our first restoration project at Pigeon Springs. The project included a bank restoration and 500' of fencing along Cedar Creek near Amboy, WA. This project had a market value of over $100,000 and was accomplished by Fish First for $42,000 due to donations and volunteers. Many more streamside projects have followed.

1998 - Fish Need to Eat!
In 1998, we learned that our streams, like nearly all northwest streams, were nutrient deficient. Years of not allowing native fish to complete the spawning cycle had resulted in stripping out nutrients that are normally replaced by the decomposing spawned out fish. We started getting fish carcasses from the Lewis River Hatchery and putting them in the tributaries. This work continues today as we attempt to restore nutrients to the system.

1999 - Our First In-Stream Project
During 1999, Fish First completed phase one of the Carter/Malinowski/Shimano projects on Cedar Creek above Amboy, WA. Phase one involved development of an off-channel rearing area and educational access along Cedar Creek and the installation of two gravel-holding cross-vanes in the creek. Many more in-stream projects would follow.

2000 The Fish Return
In 2000, Phase Two was completed on Cedar Creek and we installed rock cross-vanes, compression rock, root wads, and spawning gravel. The total project returned 1,200 feet of a large cobble and bedrock based channel to a viable spawning site for native and wild fish populations. It was particularly rewarding, as Coho, Chinook and winter Steelhead returned in the fall of 2000 and spring of 2001. We counted 35 redds. In addition, tens of thousands of juvenile fish were spotted using the side-channel we developed for them to rear and take refuge during high water flows.

2000-Current Fish First History