Smith-Root
Smith-Root, founded 1964 in Vancouver, Washington, designs and manufactures specialty electrofishing, environmental DNA, aquaculture electrosedation, and fish barrier equipment for government fisheries agencies, research institutions, hydropower operators, and hatcheries in over 25 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1964
- HeadquartersVancouver, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Smith-Root does
Smith-Root, Inc. is a specialty manufacturer of electrofishing, environmental DNA (eDNA), aquaculture, and fish-barrier equipment serving the fisheries conservation community. Founded in 1964 and headquartered in Vancouver, Washington, the company designs and builds controlled-electrical-field hardware that captures, immobilizes, guides, or detects fish in aquatic environments, including the Apex backpack electrofisher platform, custom-hull electrofishing boats, the EA-1000B electrosedation system for hatcheries, and solar-powered electric fish barriers. Its eDNA product line centers on self-preserving filter technology (US Patent 11,471,837 and CA 3,034,178) that enables field-deployable environmental DNA collection without cold-chain logistics, extended through the autonomous eDNA Autosampler and (as of April 2026) the eDNA-bot—an AI-driven autonomous biomonitoring platform co-developed with Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory under cooperative R&D agreements.
The business sells primarily through direct enterprise sales and an e-commerce storefront at store.smith-root.com, complemented by a worldwide authorized reseller network spanning more than 25 countries across Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa, North America, and South America. Customer concentration sits heavily in the public and regulated sector: federal and state fisheries and wildlife agencies (USGS, NPS, WDFW, CalTrans, California DWR, Oak Ridge and Pacific Northwest National Laboratories, Environment Canterbury, ENEL), research institutions (Cawthron Institute), hydropower operators (PacifiCorp, ENEL), and Pacific Northwest salmon hatcheries (Cowlitz, Merwin, Little White Salmon, Baker Lake, Lewis River). Revenue derives almost entirely from hardware sales—electrofishing systems, eDNA samplers and consumable filter packs, electrosedation tanks, custom barriers—with ancillary professional services revenue from equipment rentals, repair, and a two-decade-old certification training program (US$500 per student for the Electrofishing Principles and Safety course, US$250 for the eDNA Field Techniques course). The company has been continuously privately held since founding, with no disclosed institutional investors, funding rounds, or executive turnover in the source data.
The company's competitive position rests on more than 30 issued US and Canadian patents spanning core electrofishing apparatus (1992–1994), electrosedation (1996, 2014, 2017), fish barrier desynchronization logic (1995–2016), and self-preserving eDNA filtration, plus the registered Smith-Root® and Apex® trademarks. Its 60-year operating history, certification-based training ecosystem that has credentialed thousands of fisheries professionals, and the embedded installed base of Smith-Root equipment in state and federal field workflows collectively create high switching costs for institutional customers whose monitoring protocols reference the company's equipment specifications.
Smith-Root firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Smith-Root
- Legal name
- Smith-Root, Inc.
- Website
- https://smith-root.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1964
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Smith-Root, founded 1964 in Vancouver, Washington, designs and manufactures specialty electrofishing, environmental DNA, aquaculture electrosedation, and fish barrier equipment for government fisheries agencies, research institutions, hydropower operators, and hatcheries in over 25 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Smith-Root industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Fisheries Research Equipment
- NAICS
- Aquaculture (11251), Aquaculture (1125), Finfish Farming and Fish Hatcheries (112511)
- SIC
- Electromedical & Electrotherapeutic Apparatus (3845)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Aquaculture Farm Services & Operations Support (net cleaning, diving, grading, harvesting) (AFAEAAAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Aquaculture Health, Biosecurity & Veterinary Services (AFAEAAAK), Hatchery Equipment, Systems & Technology (RAS Hatcheries, Incubation, Grading, Transport Systems) (AFAEAKAL)
Keywords
Where Smith-Root is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Vancouver
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Smith-Root business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Electrofishing Equipment Sales: Sale of backpack, boat, and shore-based electrofishing systems including the Apex, LR-24, LR-20B models and associated control boxes, electrodes, and accessories.
- eDNA Sampling Equipment: Sale of eDNA sampler backpacks, autosamplers, filter packs, and consumables for environmental DNA research and species monitoring.
- Aquaculture Equipment: EA-1000B Electrosedation Systems for hatchery fish handling and sorting operations, along with custom tank and electrode designs.
- Fish Deterrence/Barrier Systems: Custom-designed electrical fish barriers for conservation, hydropower facilities, and marine mammal deterrence. Includes design, installation, and commissioning services.
- Training and Certification: Electrofishing Principles and Safety Certification courses offered in-person at headquarters or virtually. $500 per student or included free with backpack electrofisher purchase.
- Equipment Rental: Short-term electrofisher rentals for project-based needs.
- Repair and Service: Equipment repair services with 90-day warranty on repairs. Ongoing service support for legacy products with published end-of-service dates.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Electrofishing Certification - HQ In-person |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Electrofishing Certification - Virtual |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | eDNA Field Techniques Course |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Equipment Purchases |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Equipment Rental |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Smith-Root product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Smith-Root designs, manufactures, and sells specialized electrofishing equipment (backpack, shore, and boat-based systems), environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling instruments and consumables, the EA-1000B Electrosedation System for hatchery aquaculture, and custom-designed electric fish barriers and diversion systems. The company's products are sold to government fisheries agencies, research institutions, aquaculture operations, hydropower operators, and port authorities globally through direct sales, an e-commerce storefront, and a network of authorized resellers.
Product overview
Smith-Root is a manufacturer of fisheries research and monitoring equipment offering a comprehensive portfolio of hardware products and services. The product lineup centers on electrofishing equipment (portable backpack units like Apex, LR-24, LR-20B; boat-based systems with integrated control boxes; and tote barges), environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling technology (manual samplers, citizen scientist samplers, and the autonomous eDNA Autosampler with self-preserving filters), aquaculture solutions (EA-1000B electrosedation system for hatcheries), and fish barrier/deterrence systems. The company complements its hardware with training services (electrofishing certification courses) and equipment rental options. Smith-Root positions itself as a partner to fisheries scientists, offering products designed specifically for aquatic species monitoring and conservation research.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Apex: Product line including Apex Backpack Electrofisher and Apex Electrofisher Control Box - described as the most versatile electrofishing equipment with integrated GPS and data logging capabilities
Products and services
- Apex Backpack Electrofisher Portable backpack electrofisher marketed as the most versatile electrofisher in the world, designed for portable fish capture and sampling.
- LR-24 Electrofisher Backpack electrofisher for portable electrofishing operations.
- LR-20B Electrofisher Backpack electrofisher for portable electrofishing operations.
- Apex Electrofisher Control Box Shore/boat electrofishing control box with fully integrated controls and auto-logging of GPS and electrical data.
- Heavy-Duty Series Electrofishing Boats Electrofishing boats with hulls exclusively designed for electrofishing applications.
- Extra Heavy-Duty Series Electrofishing Boats Extra heavy-duty electrofishing boats for demanding field conditions.
- E-Cat Light-Duty Electrofishing Boat Light-duty electrofishing boat for less demanding applications.
- Electrofisher Tote Barge Portable electrofishing platform for shore-based operations.
- Electric Fish Handling Gloves Protective gloves providing insulation while maintaining dexterity for safe handling of immobilized fish during electrofishing operations.
- eDNA Sampler Point or transect sampling system for environmental DNA collection from aquatic environments.
- eDNA Citizen Scientist Sampler Simplified eDNA sampling device intended for community science applications.
- eDNA Autosampler Autonomous eDNA sampling robot capable of collecting up to 8 samples on a user-defined schedule without human intervention, featuring self-preserving filters, weather-resistant enclosure, and flexible power options.
- eDNA Filter Packs Self-preserving filter packets for eDNA collection and preservation, including 5.0-micrometer self-preserving filter technology that eliminates the need for cold storage or chemical preservatives.
- EA-1000B Electrosedation System Batch electrosedation system for hatcheries that allows large numbers of fish to be quickly anesthetized without chemicals, enabling immediate release of sedated fish with no mandated withdrawal period.
- Fish Barriers and Diversion Systems Custom-designed electrical fish barriers and downstream fish guidance systems intended to fully stop or provide guidance to fish in vital waterways for conservation, hydropower compliance, and species protection, including solar-powered off-grid configurations.
- Electrofishing Principles and Safety Certification Course Comprehensive training program covering electrical theory, electrofishing equipment operation, safety procedures, and applied electrofishing methods, offered in-person at Smith-Root headquarters in Vancouver, WA or virtually.
- eDNA Field Techniques Course Training on environmental DNA sampling techniques using Smith-Root equipment, offered at headquarters or on-site.
- Electrofisher Rentals Short-term electrofishing equipment rentals available for project-based needs.
Quantifiable outcome
- eDNA Autosampler autonomously tracked Pacific salmon migrations with 23-day lag detection for Chinook, demonstrating fine-scale behavioral monitoring capability
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Smith-Root
Customer profileNamed customers19 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Smith-Root technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature8 records
Smith-Root partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)coreCooperative research and development agreement to commercialize the eDNA-bot—an autonomous platform for real-time environmental DNA biomonitoring. ORNL contributes expertise in molecular ecology and advanced manufacturing. The partnership combines national laboratory innovation with Smith-Root's ecological sampling instrumentation expertise.
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)coreCooperative research and development agreement to commercialize the eDNA-bot. PNNL contributes marine systems research expertise. The collaboration enables AI-driven autonomy for remote and hazardous environment monitoring with applications in hydropower licensing, invasive species surveillance, and pathogen monitoring.
- Pattle Delamore PartnersmajorNew Zealand-based civil engineering firm contributing site civil engineering design for the Haldon Pastures Electric Barrier project. Partnership enabled first solar-powered electric fish barrier in the Southern Hemisphere.
- Frizzell Agricultural ElectronicsmajorNew Zealand-based company that designed and installed the solar panel array for the Haldon Pastures Electric Barrier. The solar array charges a battery bank powering the 3 kW electrical barrier system.
- Aquaprogram s.r.l.majorItaly-based partner providing on-site project management and commissioning services for fish guidance systems. Assisted with design and commissioning of Franciolini Power Plant installation, Smith-Root's first in Italy and 6th in Europe.
- Environmental Science Associates (ESA)minorPartnered with ESA to provide barotrauma assessment expertise during San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge Pier E4 and E5 demolition. Smith-Root scientists represented one of three necropsy specialist teams assessing juvenile Chinook Salmon.
- BRE Services Company Pty LtdmajorAustralia-based authorized reseller providing electrofishing sales and repair services. Located in Melbourne with contact at [email protected] or 1300 4 BRE 247.
- EnviroDNA Pty LtdmajorAustralia-based authorized reseller specializing in eDNA product sales. Located in Melbourne.
- Enfotran Corp.minorChina-based authorized reseller for Smith-Root products. Contact: [email protected].
- K Engineering Co. LTDmajorJapan-based authorized reseller with office in Tokyo. Provides local sales and support for Smith-Root equipment in Japan.
- Hoskin Scientific LtdmajorCanada-based authorized reseller with offices in Vancouver ([email protected]), Toronto ([email protected]), and Montreal ([email protected]) serving all Canadian provinces.
- Aztec Management ConsultantsminorIreland-based authorized reseller providing electrofishing sales and service in Europe.
- Sea Technology Services (Pty) LtdminorSouth Africa-based authorized reseller serving African markets from Cape Town.
- Log NatureminorBrazil-based authorized reseller for South American markets. Contact: [email protected].
- BIOWEB GlobalminorMexico and Colombia-based authorized reseller with presence in multiple Latin American countries including Costa Rica and Ecuador.
- AQUASPORT SACminorPeru-based authorized reseller for South American markets. Contact: [email protected].
- Innovasi Samudra PTE LTDminorSoutheast Asia-based authorized reseller serving Malaysia, Indonesia, and surrounding regions.
- DAS & KUMARSminorIndia-based authorized reseller for Smith-Root products. Contact: [email protected].
- Laboratory Trade Concern (P.) Ltd.minorNepal-based authorized reseller for South Asian markets.
- Islandwide Scientific (Pvt) Ltd.minorSri Lanka-based authorized reseller serving Sri Lanka market.
- EMD Group LLCminorGeorgia (country)-based authorized reseller for Caucasus region.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Smith-Root competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- NatureMetrics: UK-based environmental DNA biomonitoring services and kit provider for biodiversity, freshwater, and marine applications. Directly comparable to Smith-Root's eDNA sampler and consumables business, competing for the same government and conservation customers.
- Fish Guidance Systems Ltd: UK-based designer and manufacturer of fish guidance, exclusion, and protection systems for hydropower, water abstraction, and industrial intakes. Directly comparable to Smith-Root's downstream fish guidance and electric barrier product line, serving the same hydropower-compliance use case.
- SPYGEN: France-based specialist in environmental DNA sampling and analysis for aquatic biodiversity. Directly comparable to Smith-Root's eDNA sampling technology and competes for the same scientific and government monitoring customers globally.
Emerging players
- Hallprint (fish tagging): Australian manufacturer of fish tags, tagging equipment, and related fisheries research supplies. Comparable to Smith-Root in serving fisheries scientists and conservation agencies with specialized tagging and field gear.
- Hydroacoustic Technology Inc (HTI): U.S.-based manufacturer of scientific hydroacoustic equipment for fisheries assessment, fish counting, and underwater studies. Comparable to Smith-Root in serving the same fisheries-research end market with complementary (not directly competing) acoustic-based technology.
- eDNAtec: Canadian environmental DNA services and sampling solutions provider for aquatic monitoring. Comparable to Smith-Root's eDNA sampling equipment and consumables, particularly in the North American freshwater monitoring market.
- Lotek Wireless: Canadian manufacturer of wireless fish and wildlife tracking tags and receivers. Comparable to Smith-Root in serving fisheries researchers and conservation agencies, with overlap in the equipment-purchase and training-driven GTM model.
Others
- Wildlife Acoustics: U.S.-based provider of bioacoustic monitoring hardware and software for birds, bats, amphibians, and aquatic species. Adjacent peer to Smith-Root in species monitoring and conservation, with a different (acoustic) technology stack but overlapping end customers.
Broad incumbents
- Innovasea (formerly VEMCO / Hallprint): Large aquaculture and fish-tracking technology company offering acoustic telemetry, fish counters, and hatchery equipment. Comparable to Smith-Root in its hatchery and fish-monitoring offerings, with a broader portfolio across wild and cultured fisheries.
- Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems: Large U.S. supplier of aquaculture and hatchery equipment, water-quality systems, and fish-handling products. Comparable to Smith-Root's EA-1000B and fish-handling line, with a much broader catalog of non-electrical hatchery solutions.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Smith-Root social profiles
Digital presenceSmith-Root financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Smith-Root leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Smith-Root funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Smith-Root 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 Smith-Root
What does Smith-Root do?
Smith-Root designs, manufactures, and sells specialized electrofishing equipment (backpack, shore, and boat-based systems), environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling instruments and consumables, the EA-1000B Electrosedation System for hatchery aquaculture, and custom-designed electric fish barriers and diversion systems. The company's products are sold to government fisheries agencies, research institutions, aquaculture operations, hydropower operators, and port authorities globally through direct sales, an e-commerce storefront, and a network of authorized resellers.
Is Smith-Root a public or private company?
Smith-Root is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was Smith-Root founded?
Smith-Root was founded in 1964. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Smith-Root based?
Smith-Root is headquartered in Vancouver, United States, in the North America region.
How does Smith-Root make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Electrofishing Equipment Sales are the primary driver. The others are eDNA Sampling Equipment, aquaculture Equipment, fish Deterrence/Barrier Systems, training and Certification, equipment Rental and repair and Service.
Who are Smith-Root's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are NatureMetrics, Fish Guidance Systems Ltd and SPYGEN. Emerging players are Hallprint (fish tagging), Hydroacoustic Technology Inc (HTI), eDNAtec and Lotek Wireless. Wildlife Acoustics is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Innovasea (formerly VEMCO / Hallprint) and Pentair Aquatic Eco-Systems.
Does Smith-Root have an API?
No public API is recorded for Smith-Root.
What industry is Smith-Root in?
Smith-Root's product category is Fisheries Research Equipment. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAEAAAM, Aquaculture Farm Services & Operations Support (net cleaning, diving, grading, harvesting), with a secondary code of AFAEAAAK, Aquaculture Health, Biosecurity & Veterinary Services. Its NAICS code is 11251 and its SIC code is 3845.