UNSPSC 70101505: Sonar fishing

UNSPSC 70101505 Sonar fishing, a Commodity code, covers vessel and equipment services supporting fish counting, tagging, and research operations in nearshore and estuarine environments. State and local governments procure these services through fish and wildlife departments and regional park authorities to conduct scientific surveys, population studies, and fishery management work. The scope extends beyond passive sonar detection to active research vessel operations with crew, specialized fishing equipment, and scientific instrumentation deployed for species documentation, tag-and-recapture studies, and ecological assessment. Issuing bodies include state departments of fish and wildlife and county park commissions; recent activity shows ODFW as a repeat buyer of vessel-based research fishing services.

Oregon dominates the recent activity, with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife issuing two RFPs in early 2026—one in January for lower Columbia estuary white sturgeon gillnet research with a February 26 response deadline, and one in February for a nearshore rockfish survey vessel with crew, due March 17, 2026. Georgia saw a separate opportunity from Glynn County Board of Commissioners for bait supply services at a regional park marina (RFP26-035, due July 1, 2026). The ODFW solicitations emphasize qualified vessel operators (three years' commercial fishing experience required for the sturgeon work), specialized equipment including gillnets, hydraulic reels, and electronic navigation systems, and multi-day deployment schedules (15 to 20 fishing days for sturgeon; approximately 400 hours across 2026 for rockfish). Both ODFW contracts encourage small business, disadvantaged business, and woman-owned business participation through the Oregon Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID), with evaluation weighting heavily on operator qualifications and vessel specifications alongside cost.