This paper introduces a technique for optimally obtaining the gains of the proportional integral (PI) controllers for the direct drive permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) wind turbine system. The technique is based on developing a state space model of the wind turbine and obtaining the eigenvalues of the matrix A of the state space model. These eigenvalues are utilized for determining the optimum values of the PI controller s gains in order to perform the optimal system operation using Linearized biogeography-based optimization (LBBO) technique. Simulation and experimental results are obtained by MATLAB/SIMULINK for 1.5-MW PMSG wind turbine and reduced scale PMSG wind system respectively to prove the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme. The results from simulations and experiments show that LBBO can determine the controllers' parameters successfully if its fitness function is carefully chosen.