Sturgeon: Wild

Sturgeon: White, Beluga, Russian, Stellate

N/A

Sturgeon eggs, known as true caviar, are a gourmet delicacy, and sturgeon fillets are popular too. Unfortunately, these ancient fish are now threatened by extreme overfishing, loss of habitat and pollution.

Sturgeon is one of the oldest living types of bony fish. Considered a “living fossil,” it was swimming the world’s waters when dinosaurs roamed the land. Although a sturgeon can live for more than 100 years, it doesn’t breed until age 20 to 25, so populations can’t reproduce quickly enough to keep up with the demand for sturgeon products.

The sturgeon of the Caspian Sea, a traditional source of caviar, is nearing extinction. There are very few commercial fisheries left in the U.S. for sturgeon because of historic overfishing and depleted populations. One of the few well-managed wild sturgeon fisheries is located in the lower Columbia River in Washington and Oregon. However, even this population is vulnerable to overfishing.

Despite the fact that many sturgeons are only neutrally vulnerable based on the primary factors of life-history characteristics, all species are subject to the secondary factors of a narrow species range and habitat that has been substantially compromised by non-fishing impacts. For these reasons, the sturgeons and paddlefish of both the United States and the Caspian Sea are considered “inherently vulnerable” to fishing pressure.

The status of sturgeon stocks is complex and varies widely depending on geographic region and species.

In the United States, White Sturgeon from the Lower Columbia River stocks are ranked moderate, while Sturgeon found in the Caspian sea are ranked as critical. For general information purposes, these have been rated as “high”

For more specific detail on species and regions, please refer to the full assessment report which can be accessed on this web page.

The nature of bycatch varies by region and species, but for general information purposes, these have been rated as “moderate”

For more specific detail on the bycatch by species and region, please refer to the full assessment report which can be accessed on this web page.

There is very little information on bycatch problems in the Caspian Sea, although historically the bycatch of juveniles both in sturgeon target fishery and other target fisheries, has been a concern. There are some bycatch reduction measures in place for Persian sturgeon in Iran, but no data exist as to their effectiveness. In recognition of the overall lack of information for the Caspian Sea species, they are listed as having a “moderate” bycatch impact.

In the United States, bycatch of sturgeons in non-sturgeon fisheries is allegedly somewhat bigger for the Atlantic coast than for the Pacific coast. In the case of North American sturgeons, Green and White species are incidentally caught in the Tribal salmon fishery. This fishery has certain bycatch characteristics that impact the overall ranking of White and Green sturgeons. Both the White and Green sturgeon fisheries have a low bycatch impact, but since they are taken as part of the high impact salmon fishery, they have a moderate impact.

The impact of commercial fishing gear used in the sturgeon and paddlefish target fishery on marine and riverine habitat is potentially low, but unknown. The impact that removal of sturgeons and paddlefish has on an ecosystem is also unknown. In the Caspian Sea there is currently a ban on bottom trawling for sturgeon but enforcement of this ban is questionable. Fishing practices used for harvesting sturgeons and paddlefish are, therefore, considered to have a “moderate or unknown” effect on habitats and ecosystems. It is quite likely that damming, pollution, and development all have greater environmental impacts than current fishing methods.

There is a wide range of management effectiveness rankings depending on species and location of the fishery. For more detailed information, please refer to the full assessment report which can be accessed on this web page.

Although assessments are available, and they all point to the same declines that suggest that many non US stocks are on the verge of utter collapse. This information is based on harvest totals, and do not indicate a thorough attempt at management of the fisheries. Generally the management effectiveness of non-US sturgeon fisheries is a “high” conservation concern.

Where is this sturgeon from?

Wild White sturgeon from the Lower Columbia River (Washington & Oregon, and US farmed Sturgeon are ranked as “Some Concerns”. All other sturgeon species are ranked as “Avoid”

Elevated mercury and PCB levels + Adults and children should not eat at all

No.