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1919

1920-50

1950-70

1970-90

1990-2000

1919

Thirteen students enroll in first US College of Fisheries (COF) which is established on UW campus under direction of John N. Cobb.

1921

First five students graduate from COF.

Cobb evaluates effectiveness of Yakima River fishways and recommends changes.

1929

Enrollment exceeds 100 students.

1930

Dean Cobb dies; COF temporarily ceases to exist.

WF Thompson becomes Director of UW Department of Fisheries.

International Fisheries Commission (now International Pacific Halibut Comm.) is housed in UW Fisheries.

Lauren R. Donaldsen.

1932

Lauren Donaldson begins trout mass selection program.

1935

UW Board of Regents approves School of Fisheries (SOF) under Acting Director WF Thompson.

1937

International Pacific Salmon Fisheries Commission is founded and housed in SOF.

WF Thompson is appointed part-time Research Director.

1938

First SOF research vessel, the cabin cruiser Kokanee, is constructed.

Fisheries food science lab—circa late 1940s.

1943

Only six enrollees because of WWII.

Lauren Donaldson is asked by US Government to study effects of x-rays on Columbia River salmon; leads to creation of Applied Fisheries Laboratory (AFL).

1944

SOF takes over goldfish research when Allies discontinue business with Japan.

1945

Bristol Bay, Alaska, canners ask to have research needs evaluated; precursor to Fisheries Research Institute (FRI).

AFL establishes lab at Hanford near plutonium plants.

1946

Milo Bell's Hells Gate fishway is completed on Fraser River.

AFL personnel witness detonations of atomic bombs at Bikini Atoll; conduct research into effects of radiation. Southeast Alaska canners request evaluation of research needs.

1947

UW Board of Regents authorizes establishment of FRI directed by WF Thompson. Bristol Bay research begins.

Wilbert Chapman becomes SOF Director.

R/V Oncorhynchus, a Navy surplus personnel carrier, replaces Kokanee.

1948

Richard Van Cleve is appointed Director of SOF.

Kodiak, AK salmon research begins.

1949

Douglas Chapman teaches first statistics course at Fisheries.

Robert Burgner (FRI director '68-84) and William F. Thompson (FRI Director -47-58), circa 1950.

1950

Enrollment skyrockets to 150 students, mostly veterans.

Twenty-three thousand chinook fingerlings released in Portage Bay; first UW salmon run.

1952

AFL personnel witness detonation of hydrogen bomb at Eniwetok, Marshall Islands, and conduct research, which continues into the 1970s.

1953

Twenty-three adult chinook return to Fisheries raceway.

1955

High Seas Salmon project begins (and still continues).

1957

Fern Lake research project is initiated to study mineral cycling in a watershed, lasting until 1971.

1958

SOF becomes College of Fisheries again with Van Cleve as Dean.

1959

Fisheries portion of Project Plowshare evaluates baseline levels of radionuclides in organisms in Arctic.

1960

Laboratory of Radiation Biology (old AFL) examines effects of gamma radiation on successive generations of salmon.

Fisheries curriculum under scrutiny in UW-wide re-examination of education objectives and techniques.

1961

Salmon return pond is constructed.

Graduate course in water pollution is offered for first time.

Frieda B. Taub, early 1960s.

1962

Fisheries hires first female faculty members: Rita Colwell and Frieda Taub.

Computer application in fisheries science begins.

1963

Construction of the R/V Malka for Alaska field work.

Eighty-three graduate students register in Fisheries.

1965

UW purchases 270 acres bordering Big Beef Creek and harbor.

1967

Laboratory and bathroom added to cabin at Big Beef Creek.

US Fish & Wildlife Service Cooperative Fishery Research Unit (Coop) is established.

1968

CQS and Biomathematics graduate program is founded under Douglas Chapman.

William Royce is appointed Associate Dean of COF & Robert Burgner Director of FRI. FRI wing of Fish Center is built.

Research barge Kumtuks is acquired.

1969

Institute for Food Science and Technology (IFST) is founded under John Liston.

Graduate students Pennell and Whitemore die in plane crash at Iliamna Lake, Alaska.

1970

Record enrollment: 168 undergraduates & 130 graduate students register.

NORFISH Program is established at CQS.

Fisheries segment of Western Coniferous Biome Studies is funded.

1971

Douglas Chapman is appointed Dean, replacing retiring Van Cleve.

1972

IFST's Food Engineering Laboratory is completed.

1974

First women's locker room installed in Fisheries Center.

1975

FRI administers NMFS observer programs for foreign fishing vessels.

Fisheries conducts sewage outfall studies for METRO. Study of effects of pier construction, dredging, and lighting at Trident submarine base on outmigrating salmon.

1976

NORFISH II is initiated to develop models relating to Alaska fisheries.

Fisheries water quality analysis facility is established.

1977

Fisheries investigates Satsop Nuclear Power Plant blowdown effect on salmonid reproduction.

1978

Lease agreement for Seward Park Hatchery is signed with City of Seattle.

1979

The first "Gutshop" workshop is conducted.

Laboratory of State Chemist is established in IFST.

1980

Douglas Chapman resigns as Dean and is replaced by Don Bevan.

R/V Alaska is acquired from NMFS.

Effect of Mount St. Helen's ash on salmon migration patterns is studied.

1981

College of Ocean & Fishery Sciences (COFS) is formed by UW Board of Regents. Fisheries becomes a School within COFS and Don Bevan is appointed Director.

1982

Number of SOF-trained observers on foreign fishing and research vessels totals 156.

1983

Cooperative high seas salmon tagging program is initiated with Soviet Union.

Marine Studies building, the new home of IFST, is completed.

Robert R. Stickney

1984

Van Cleve Memorial Scholarship is established.

1985

Robert Stickney is appointed Director of SOF when Bevan retires.

David Ford is appointed Director of CQS.

Bruce Miller is appointed Acting Director of FRI upon the retirement of Robert Burgner.

1986

Robert Francis is appointed FRI Director. Observer program is initiated with Alaska fishing industry. Center for Streamside Studies is created under direction of Ernest Salo.

H. Mason Keeler Endowed Professorship and Fund for Excellence is established.

1987

Western Regional Aquaculture Consortium (WRAC) is housed in Fisheries under the direction of Ken Chew.

1988

Triploid (all season) "sexless" oyster is developed for commercial use by SOF personnel at Manchester.

Fisheries Coop expands to include wildlife research component.

1989

Biomathematics program becomes QERM program in CQS.

Effects of Exxon Valdez oil spill are evaluated by SOF personnel.

1990

Fisheries Teaching and Research Building opens.

Marsha L. Landolt

Kenneth K. Chew

David A. Armstrong

1991

Marsha Landolt is appointed Director of SOF.

Ellen Pikitch takes over as Director of FRI.

1993

SOF Fish Collection is rated 4th in N. America among regional collections. Molecular Biology Lab is initiated with Oceanography.

John Skalski becomes Director of CQS.

Washington Cooperative Fish & Wildlife Research Unit becomes part of National Biological Survey.

1994

SOF celebrates 75 years of colorful history.

1996

Ray Hilborn appointed Director of FRI.

1997

Ken Chew assume role as Interim Director.

1999

David Armstrong is appointed Director of SOF.

New Fishery Sciences building opens.

2000

School changes name to Aquatic & Fishery Sciences to better reflect expanding breadth and scope of programs.

Photo credits (top to bottom): Special Collections, UW Libraries, Neg. # Cobb 4512; Special Collections, UW Libraries, Neg. # 15330; State of Washington Campus Studioes Neg. #1966-D (Photographer: EF Marten); Special Collections, UW Libraries, Neg. # Info Ser. 1205A; Boeing Aircraft Company; Ken Adkins