[2][3] Headquartered in Portland, Oregon, WSC works with communities, businesses, governments, and other non-profits to protect and preserve healthy salmon ecosystems in the North Pacific.

Originally, WSC received funding for research and conservation by organizing angling trips to the Kamchatka Peninsula in the Russian Far East.

In 1998, WSC hired Guido Rahr as executive director, who previously developed an approach to salmon conservation that focused on proactive protection of the strongest remaining populations (stronghold strategy).

Select areas include: the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Russian Far East mainland, Sakhalin Island, British Columbia, Bristol Bay, Alaska, as well as key watersheds in the lower 48 U.S.

[10] As part of its efforts to protect habitats in Oregon, the Wild Salmon Center is a member of the North Coast State Forest Coalition.