Wild Salmon Center

Founded in 1992 by avid fly-fishermen Pete Soverel and Tom Pero, the Wild Salmon Center is an international organization dedicated to the protection and restoration of wild salmon populations and their habitats across a vast range, including Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, California, and the Western Pacific. Recognizing the urgent need to safeguard these vital ecosystems, the organization’s mission centers on proactive conservation strategies. The center’s commitment to preserving river systems before they degrade has led to the establishment of eight new national and regional parks covering 7.7 million acres, including the pioneering Kol Salmon refuge in Kamchatka. Through collaborations with scientists and local communities, Wild Salmon Center works to prevent threats such as hydroelectric dams, mining projects, and logging, and has played a pivotal role in expanding protections for thousands of miles of streamside habitat. Guided by its long-term vision of a Pacific Rim network of protected salmon rivers, or strongholds, the Wild Salmon Center’s efforts continue to ensure the future health and vitality of these vital aquatic ecosystems.