UNSPSC 70101501: Commercial fishing operations

UNSPSC 70101501 Commercial fishing operations (Commodity) covers contract fishing services procured by state and local governments, particularly invasive aquatic-species removal and recreational marina bait supply. The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) is the dominant recent issuer, soliciting commercial fishermen to harvest invasive carp—Silver, Bighead, Grass, and Black Carp—from the Ohio River Basin under master agreements with multiple qualified contractors. Participants must hold valid commercial fishing licenses, demonstrate minimum three years of commercial fishing experience (at least two years licensed), and possess proficiency in gill netting and side-scan sonar technology. Work requires four days per week minimum (weather and river conditions permitting) at $1,200 per day for eight hours, or $150 per hour for partial days, with prorated payment when daily harvests exceed 6,000 pounds. Contractors submit itemized weekly invoices processed biweekly, and may sell harvested carp at market value while remaining ineligible for concurrent federal subsidy programs. All non-target species must be immediately returned to water. Commercial General Liability Insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate is required. Initial contracts run one year with four optional one-year renewal periods and potential 90-day extension; participants must allow KDFWR observers onboard to record harvest data.

Activity is concentrated in Kentucky, with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources posting two related RFBs (RFB66027000000812 and RFB66027000000811) for the Ohio River Basin Invasive Carp Contract Fishing Program, both due September 23, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Kentucky resident bidders receive reciprocal preference, and qualified bidders including Kentucky Correctional Industries and nonprofits serving individuals with severe disabilities receive fifteen to twenty percent preferential scoring. Secondary activity appears in Georgia, where Glynn County Board of Commissioners issued an RFP (RFP26-035) on May 26, 2026 for a bait provider at Blythe Island Regional Park Marina with a July 1, 2026 proposal deadline, though detailed service specifications were not included in source materials. All Kentucky bids must be submitted electronically through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service system; paper submissions are not acceptable.