What is meant by "commercially produced live bait"?

The term "commercially produced live bait" specifically refers to organisms that are bred and grown in controlled environments, such as hatcheries, for the purpose of being sold for use as bait in fishing. Adult fathead minnows from approved hatcheries fall under this category because they are raised specifically for this purpose and adhere to regulations that ensure they are safe and healthy for use in various fishing contexts.

This definition emphasizes the importance of the production process and compliance with regulatory standards, which set apart commercially available bait from other sources. Bait collected by anglers or caught in the wild lacks the quality control and regulatory oversight associated with commercially produced options, which is why they do not fit this definition. Similarly, all bait available at stores may include both commercially produced and wild-caught varieties, making option one too broad and not specific to the definition in question.