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MY BUTTON
MY BUTTON

1995

If we continue on the road we are on, the fishing will only worsen. This is where the fish need our support. If we head in a new direction, we have the opportunity to bring back large runs of healthy hatchery and wild fish.

 

 

 

 

Gary Loomis, Founder / President /Fish First

Today

For 20 years, Fish First has accomplished much through thousands of volunteer hours, millions of fish planted, miles of instream restoration work, working with local schools habitat programs are just a few... Today, with over 300 members, we are revitalizing that effort to build the next generations.

 

 

 

Gary Loomis, Founder / President

Fish First Inc

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 Winter 2021

The soon to arrive Summer Steelhead need your help!

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Volunteer help is needed as we prepare the net pens for our 60,000 fingerlings. 

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Saturday Feb 13th we will be prepping the pens, cleaning and repairing the nets.

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Tuesday March 2nd we get the baby steelhead!

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To offer your support, 

Contact Grant Jensen at (360) 270-5501

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Lewis River Flow Data USGS
Lewis River Forecasts NOAA
Tide Predictions & Water Levels
Bonneville Salmon Counts
Moon Phases 
More connections coming soon..

The Dock That Got Away

Fish First has been having problems with individuals cutting the cables the secure the net pens in the river. The pens are pulled to shore and used to fish of of. This summer, the pens were weakened. When the water level rose in December, one dock broke loose and floated a few miles downriver until it hung up in some trees. Board members and volunteers removed the dock and parked it temporarily at Gary's!

 

See the net pens HERE

Fish First is a non profit group dedicated to the restoration of wild and native salmon steelhead to the Lewis River system. We are 100 percent volunteer based, with no paid staff. We have invested hundreds of thousands of hours working in streams to recover fish since 1995.

Our Mission

 

WE BELIEVE IN IMPROVING AND INCREASING HEALTHY FISH RUNS

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What We Do

We do this by:

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  • Working alongside hatchery partners to improve the quality and quantity of fish to achieve higher returns

  • We believe this works in concert with nature by helping to

  • Replace nutrients to the upper watershed

  • Restoring habitat

  • In-Stream restoration by reintroducing native genetics through egg boxes, net pens, and live plants

Fish First Programs

To make rivers and streams fish friendly - to enable salmon and steelhead to spawn, grow, and thrive-Fish First uses proven science, design, and years of experience in restoring habitat. The technology Fish First uses has been sanctioned and used by federal and state agencies and is being adopted in various regions of Canada. It has been approved by National Marine Fisheries through our NOAA 10a1A permit.

 

  • Remote Site Incubators (RSI) "Egg Boxes"

  • Net pens

  • Fish Rescue to Rearing Ponds

  • Nutrients

  • Projects

                - Opening blocked migration routes​

                - Constucting side channels

 

 

 

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