The Conservation Angler
The Conservation Angler is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that builds a Pacific Rim angler-science network to monitor wild steelhead, training guides and anglers as field researchers across California, the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, Alaska, and Kamchatka.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1994
- HeadquartersEdmonds, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Conservation Angler does
The Conservation Angler (TCA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization founded in 1994 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, that builds the scientific infrastructure to monitor wild Pacific steelhead across the Pacific Rim. Its core offering is The Northern Crown, a coordinated sentinel river network spanning California to Kamchatka, Russia, that transforms partner fishing lodges into permanent research stations and trains professional guides and anglers as field researchers. Through standardized field protocols and purpose-built sampling kits, TCA collects four data streams per fish — size and condition, age and life history (from scale samples), DNA/genetics, and location and timing — that feed peer-reviewed research shared with agencies, tribes, and conservation managers. Supporting products include the Global Hatchery-Impact Database (a synthesis of 206 peer-reviewed studies across 51 years and six continents), annual river-specific data summaries, river-targeted donation campaigns, and plain-language science communication through its blog and field dispatches. The organization also runs an active ESA litigation program in partnership with Wild Fish Conservancy, Western Environmental Law Center, and Kampmeier & Knutsen, targeting hatchery programs and water quality permits that threaten wild steelhead.
TCA operates with approximately six core staff plus two contractors, including President John McMillan (formerly Trout Unlimited's Wild Steelhead Initiative Science Director), COO/Director of Science Dr. George Pess (a 26-year NOAA veteran who joined in April 2026), Senior Scientist Nick Chambers, and Operations & Finance Director Chris Jones. Revenue is generated entirely through individual donations (one-time and recurring via Stripe, plus cryptocurrency through Every.org, appreciated stock, donor-advised funds, and estate planning), targeted grants, and sponsored expeditions (e.g., the Kamchatka Steelhead Project anti-poaching operations). Donors can direct gifts to specific rivers in the network. The organization is governed by an independent board led by Chairman Peter Herzog, with founder Pete Soverel now serving as director emeritus. Go-to-market is community-led, relying on word-of-mouth within the angling community, fly shop partnerships (The Fly Shop, Waters West, Emerald Water Anglers, Bend Fly Shop), a 2026 Ambassador Program of guides and storytellers, brand partnerships with rod makers, and earned media from legal actions to scale adoption of its angler-science protocols.
The Conservation Angler firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Conservation Angler
- Legal name
- The Conservation Angler
- Website
- https://theconservationangler.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1994
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Conservation Angler is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that builds a Pacific Rim angler-science network to monitor wild steelhead, training guides and anglers as field researchers across California, the Pacific Northwest, British Columbia, Alaska, and Kamchatka.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Conservation Angler industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Wild Steelhead Conservation Services
- NAICS
- Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting (11), Fishing, Hunting and Trapping (114)
- SIC
- Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines) (BPAIAMAI)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release (BPAGAIAC)
Keywords
Where The Conservation Angler is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edmonds
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Conservation Angler business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Donations: The Conservation Angler is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds its operations primarily through individual donations. Donors can give one-time or recurring contributions via credit card (processed through Stripe), cryptocurrency (via Every.org), appreciated stock, donor-advised funds, or estate planning. Donors can also direct gifts to specific rivers in the Northern Crown (e.g., Babine River, Lower Skeena, Alaska Peninsula, Klamath River, Olympic Peninsula, Kamchatka).
- Grants & Sponsored Expeditions: TCA receives funding for specific river programs (e.g., Kamchatka Steelhead Project anti-poaching expeditions) and scientific programs through grants and targeted fundraising campaigns targeting KSP alumni and conservation supporters.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Conservation Angler product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Conservation Angler runs The Northern Crown, a Pacific Rim monitoring network that trains anglers and guides as field researchers to collect standardized biological data (length, scale, DNA, timing) from wild steelhead during catch-and-release encounters on partner rivers. The organization supplements this angler-science program with policy advocacy, ESA-related legal action, peer-reviewed research (including the Global Hatchery-Impact Database), and plain-language field education.
Product overview
The Conservation Angler (TCA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit conservation organization — not a technology product company — whose offerings consist of science programs, field training services, a research database, and educational content. The core offering is The Northern Crown, a coordinated Pacific Rim monitoring network that transforms fishing lodges into research stations and trained anglers/guides into field scientists collecting standardized biological data from wild steelhead rivers. The Angler Science Program provides the field sampling protocols and training that power the network, producing biological samples and records that feed into TCA's research outputs. The Global Hatchery-Impact Database is a standalone peer-reviewed research product synthesizing 206 studies on hatchery impacts on wild salmonids. Supporting services include field science training and standardized sampling kits issued to partner lodges, annual river-specific data summaries, river-targeted donation campaigns, and plain-language science communication via field dispatches and a newsletter.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- The Northern Crown Coordinated Pacific Rim monitoring network spanning wild steelhead rivers from California to Kamchatka, transforming partner fishing lodges into research stations and guides into field technicians who collect standardized biological data across multiple river systems.
Quantifiable outcome
- 30 years of field science on Kamchatka rivers demonstrating recovery of wild steelhead populations through anti-poaching protection and long-term data collection
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Conservation Angler
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
The Conservation Angler technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
The Conservation Angler partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Wild Fish ConservancycoreTCA and Wild Fish Conservancy jointly litigate ESA cases against federal and state agencies over hatchery programs harming wild salmon and steelhead, including lawsuits on Lower Columbia River hatcheries and Olympic Peninsula steelhead ESA protections.
- California Trout (CalTrout)coreTCA and CalTrout launched a new angler-science partnership on the Klamath River following the historic dam removal, putting anglers alongside scientists to track wild steelhead recovery and build a monitoring framework for rivers across the West.
- Moscow State University (Department of Ichthyology)coreMoscow State University co-directs the Kamchatka Steelhead Project with TCA under the US-Russia Agreement on the Environment. The university oversees data collection, provides scientific analysis of collected samples, and coordinates anti-poaching enforcement with Russian federal fisheries personnel.
- The Fly Shop (Redding, CA)coreThe Fly Shop serves as the Kamchatka Steelhead Project's booking agent, coordinating with sponsors and TCA for all groups and sessions. It is also a partner fly shop promoting TCA's conservation mission.
- Kamchatka Trophy Hunts (Anatoly Turushev)coreKamchatka Trophy Hunts provides logistical support and coordinates aviation and staffing for the Kamchatka Steelhead Project expeditions on the Utkholok, Kvachina, and Snotalvayam rivers.
- Western Environmental Law CentercoreWestern Environmental Law Center provides legal representation for TCA in ESA lawsuits, including the Santiam winter steelhead protection case and Olympic Peninsula steelhead litigation.
- Kampmeier & Knutsen, PLLCcorePortland/Seattle-based law firm representing TCA and Wild Fish Conservancy in ESA litigation over Columbia River hatchery programs and Lower Snake River dam issues.
- Northwest Environmental Defense Center (NEDC)minorTCA partnered with NEDC and Willamette Riverkeeper to challenge unlawful water quality permits for McKenzie River hatcheries, successfully compelling DEQ to withdraw permits and issue new draft permits forbidding heated discharges.
- Willamette RiverkeeperminorJoint legal challenge with TCA and NEDC on McKenzie River hatchery water quality permits. Also co-represented by Crag Law Center and Law Office of Karl G. Anuta.
- Partner Lodges (Northern Crown)corePartner lodges host TCA's field science programs and welcome anglers committed to wild fish. Each plays a direct role in data collected every season. Includes Lower Skeena Spey Lodge, Babine Norlakes Steelhead Camp, Silver Hilton, Hoodoo Lodge, and Wildman Lodge.
- Partner Fly ShopscoreFly shops (The Fly Shop, Waters West, Emerald Water Anglers, Bend Fly Shop) serve as community hubs, guide services, and conservation advocates for TCA across their watersheds.
- CF Burkheimer Fly Rod CompanyminorHand-built spey, switch, and single-hand rod maker based in Washougal, Washington. A supporter of TCA's field program, with rods favored by serious steelheaders across the Northern Crown.
- Guideline (Scandinavia)minorScandinavian-engineered spey rods, lines, and waders designer. A TCA partner with deep roots in two-handed fishing, supporting TCA's field program.
- 1% for the PlanetminorTCA is an Environmental Partner of 1% for the Planet, leveraging the organization's network of environmentally conscious businesses and consumers for fundraising support.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Conservation Angler competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Save Our Wild Salmon: Pacific Northwest salmon and steelhead advocacy coalition; shares TCA's focus on Snake/Columbia basin restoration, ESA advocacy, and policy outcomes, though operated as a coalition rather than a science-driven field organization.
- California Trout (CalTrout): Direct partnering peer on the Klamath River post-dam-removal angler-science program; CalTrout leads California-focused wild trout and steelhead science, policy, and habitat work with comparable field-science credibility.
- Wild Salmon Center: Co-founded by TCA founders Pete Soverel and Tom Pero; the most direct programmatic peer — works across the same Pacific Rim rivers on wild salmonid conservation, science, and habitat protection, and shares institutional DNA with TCA.
- Salmon Defense: Northwest salmon and steelhead advocacy organization focused on wild Snake and Columbia river recovery; comparable mission and donor community, though with a more advocacy-heavy operating model than TCA's science-led approach.
- Pacific Rivers Council: Pacific Northwest nonprofit focused on wild rivers, native fish, and ESA-driven advocacy; comparable scale and science-informed policy approach, with regional overlap in Oregon and Washington.
- Wild Fish Conservancy: Direct counterpart — co-litigates ESA cases with TCA (Lower Columbia, Olympic Peninsula), shares the same Pacific salmonid science-and-legal-action model, and complements TCA's angler-science presence with its own watershed programs.
- Native Fish Society: Oregon-based wild salmonid advocacy and conservation group with overlapping donor base in the Pacific Northwest fly-fishing community and a shared focus on wild versus hatchery fish policy.
Emerging players
- Northwest Environmental Defense Center (NEDC): Regional environmental law and advocacy organization that partnered with TCA on the McKenzie River hatchery water-quality challenge; broadly comparable to TCA's legal-action function with a different case mix.
Broad incumbents
- Trout Unlimited: The largest US coldwater conservation NGO; TCA's president John McMillan previously ran TU's Wild Steelhead Initiative. TU operates a much broader portfolio but is the most prominent incumbent addressing TCA's same species and geography.
Regional players
- Coast Range Association: Oregon-based nonprofit addressing wild salmonid habitat, timber-water interactions, and ESA issues; complementary to TCA's science work with strong regional overlap in Oregon coastal watersheds.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses6 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Conservation Angler social profiles
Digital presenceThe Conservation Angler financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Conservation Angler leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
The Conservation Angler funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Conservation Angler M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Conservation Angler
What does The Conservation Angler do?
The Conservation Angler runs The Northern Crown, a Pacific Rim monitoring network that trains anglers and guides as field researchers to collect standardized biological data (length, scale, DNA, timing) from wild steelhead during catch-and-release encounters on partner rivers. The organization supplements this angler-science program with policy advocacy, ESA-related legal action, peer-reviewed research (including the Global Hatchery-Impact Database), and plain-language field education.
Is The Conservation Angler a public or private company?
The Conservation Angler is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Conservation Angler founded?
The Conservation Angler was founded in 1994. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is The Conservation Angler based?
The Conservation Angler is headquartered in Edmonds, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Conservation Angler make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations are the primary driver. The others are grants & Sponsored Expeditions.
Who are The Conservation Angler's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Save Our Wild Salmon, California Trout (CalTrout), Wild Salmon Center, Salmon Defense, Pacific Rivers Council, Wild Fish Conservancy and Native Fish Society. Northwest Environmental Defense Center (NEDC) is listed as an emerging player. Trout Unlimited is listed as a broad incumbent. Coast Range Association is listed as a regional player.
Does The Conservation Angler have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Conservation Angler.
What industry is The Conservation Angler in?
The Conservation Angler's product category is Wild Steelhead Conservation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAIAMAI, Coastal & Marine Resources Administration (Oceans, Fisheries, Shorelines), with a secondary code of BPAGAIAC, Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation & Release. Its NAICS code is 11 and its SIC code is 900.