{"id":5891,"date":"2020-09-04T16:09:51","date_gmt":"2020-09-04T15:09:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neuronicdev.es\/bpa\/fish-stories\/siberian-sturgeon-the-russian-gold-mine\/"},"modified":"2025-08-27T11:39:23","modified_gmt":"2025-08-27T10:39:23","slug":"siberian-sturgeon-the-russian-gold-mine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/neuronicdev.es\/bpa\/blog\/siberian-sturgeon-the-russian-gold-mine\/","title":{"rendered":"Siberian Sturgeon \u2013 The Russian Gold Mine"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Siberian sturgeon (Acipenser baerii<\/em>) is a large species of fish that can measure up to 2 metres long. The heaviest individual recorded was an astonishing 210 kilograms! They often migrate across most river systems in Northern Russia. There are also non-migratory populations in Lake Baikal, the largest freshwater lake in the world, located in Southern Russia. A single Siberian sturgeon can live for over 60 years; feeding primarily on small organisms that live on the bottom of the river such as small worms, insect larvae and crustaceans.<\/p>\n

\"Siberian<\/figure>\n

Sturgeon Farming Process<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The rearing of Siberian sturgeon to turn a profit became common in the 1970s, in what is now Russia. Annual catches often exceed several hundred tonnes globally. Additionally, present-day figures are much higher. In 2017, a survey recorded 2,329 commercial sturgeon farms in 46 countries. The growth of sturgeon farming has been so steep that the global harvest in 2017 was four times larger than all the global harvests from 1970 to 1980 added together.<\/p>\n

Distinguishing between males and females is extremely difficult, so ultrasound scans take place when the fish are approximately 3 years old to determine their gender. They\u2019re then separated with males being sold for meat and females kept for caviar. Caviar is sturgeon eggs, frequently considered a delicacy in many countries around the world.<\/p>\n

Females can start producing eggs as young as 7 years old but usually begin producing significant numbers of eggs at around 12-15 years old. They\u2019re subject to years of egg production. High egg yield females are kept to spawn new generations. Consequently, lower-yield females are sold for their meat.<\/p>\n

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Siberian Sturgeon Caviar<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

To this day, the Siberian sturgeon remains one of the most profitable species in Russia. The inner membrane of a Sturgeon\u2019s swim bladder forms part of the production of \u201cisinglass\u201d. Which is a very pure form of gelatin. When they\u2019re sold as food, they can be fresh, pickled or smoked. However, the real money lies within the caviar industry.<\/p>\n

Sometimes sold at over \u00a31,000 per kilogram, caviar harvested from Siberian sturgeon is expensive. Each female is capable of spawning every other year \u2013 sometimes every year \u2013 and producing up to 9 kilograms of eggs per spawn. With a reproductive life span of over 50 years, this clearly shows the financial appeal of caviar farming.<\/p>\n

Sturgeon Conservation<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Siberian sturgeon are one of 27 sturgeon species. The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) classifies them as endangered<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, 63% of all Sturgeon species are now critically endangered. With four species now thought to be extinct. Declines in their populations are largely due to:<\/p>\n