Yeah Dave, it occurs to me it would be a real pain to raise bass for sale based on live forage only. Feed has to be the answer to a consistent product.
I have to wonder how much of a pain it is. DOWs having been doing it for years. It's not more difficult ... usually ... all the food grows in situ and fertilization is performed at monthly or similar intervals to maintain bloom. Survival rates at appropriately stocked quantities are similar to feed regimens and so it is just a different recipe.
Its a very low production technique that is generally less than 200 lbs/acre production compared to the feedlot approach which is generally > 2000 lbs acre under aeration and appropriate stocking numbers. Its about maximizing ROI and having a product they can keep over extended periods of time (fish that are less inclined to eat each other) and be maintained with formulated feed. If the recreational market demanded forage raised fish (like DOWs do) then it would have to pay the costs (like DOWs do with licensing funds). If the demand were there, some fisheries suppliers "might" do it. Not all fisheries suppliers even culture fingerlings or maintain a selection program.
For every fish that is produced as food there are markets around stage I fingerlings, stage II fingerlings, and adults. Stage I are usually 1" to 3" fish, stage II are 4" up to 10" fish, and the adults are usually of age 1.5 or older. Some fisheries suppliers purchase feed trained stage 1 fingerlings and grow them out to 6 to 8". This is easier than maintaining brood stock and a selection program. Those that do this probably also purchase the 2" fingerlings for sale direct to the public.
Feed is a tool that helps producers maximize yield and assists with the maintenance of stock over extended periods where the demand is spread over time. Forage fed fish would have to be harvested and then disbursed to their new homes over a very short period of time or the potential for loss would be great even if the market priced the production/acre at similar levels. The first thing that would have to give is some portion of the recreational market, they would first have to value the forage fed product, be willing to commit to purchase in advance of production, and then take and utilize the product when the harvest dictated. It's economics, convenience, knowledge, and the perception of value. The market for the feed trained stages already exist in the food markets at prices that are a very small fraction of retail prices at a fisheries supplier. The recreational user is paying for the storage, maintenance, mortality, service, convenience, and delivery/packaging. That of course has value but feed trained fish play into this operationally where forage fed ... not so much.