Sturgeon Family

Sturgeon is an ancient fish, highly successful and little changed for something like 200 million years. The related Paddlefish is a little younger, having been around for only 100 million years (that we know of). Of the 25 living species of sturgeon, most are near to extinction due to the absurd prices show-offs and "gourmets" will pay for their eggs (caviar). This pricing encourages criminal activities, which are made worse by pollution and degradation of habitat.

Pacific White Sturgeon and Lake Sturgeon are the only commercially important sturgeon not IUCN Red List "Threatened", "Endangered" or "Critically Endangered". The Pacific White is now heavily farmed in California for caviar and meat. The Lake Sturgeon are caught wild, mostly in Canada, though the fishery is now highly restricted.

Sturgeon are the largest fish found in fresh water, with the Russian Beluga (A. Huso huso) reaching 19 feet and and over 3400 pounds, while the more slender Pacific White Sturgeon (A. Acipenser transmontanus) reaches 20 feet and 1800 pounds. The specimen in the photo, smoked whole, was 27 inches long and 1.6 pounds. Sturgeon are not kosher.

More on Varieties of Fish (very large page).

Pacific White Sturgeon

This is the third largest sturgeon in the world, growing to 20 feet and 1800 pounds. While considered LC (Least Concern) in the wild, it is heavily farmed in California for production of caviar, with meat as a byproduct. Experts say the quality of California caviar has improved to the point it is difficult to tell it from the Russian.   Details and Cooking

Shovelnose Sturgeon / Hackleback

[Sand Sturgeon, Switchtail; Scaphirhynchus platorynchus]

This is the most abundant sturgeon in North America, found in the Missouri River and Mississippi River systems. While it is considered an excellent eating fish, it is also now valuable for production of caviar. It is the smallest North American sturgeon, but fast maturing. It can reach a maximum length of 42-1/2 inches and 10-3/4 pounds, but is more commonly 28 inches long. It is the only sturgeon caught commercially in the United States, and aquaculture is in the early experimental stages. The caviar is sold as "Hackleback" - apparently "Shovelnose" didn't sound like a good marketing name. It sells for around 2016 US $19.50 / ounce. IUCN Red Listed VU (Vulnerable).   Photo by MONGO distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike v3.0 Unported.

Lake Sturgeon

This fish was once extremely common in the lakes and rivers along the US / Canada border near the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River. Back in the days before "over regulation" about 4 million pounds a year were taken until around 1900 when the fishery collapsed due to no fish left. Today, taking this fish is highly restricted, though there is still a small commercial take allowed in the St Lawrence region of Canada. There is a restocking hatchery in Michigan serving mostly inland waters, but this fish is a long ways from recovering.   Illustration from Fishes of Illinois, copyright expired

Atlantic / Gulf Sturgeon

This North American Sturgeon was where Europe got its caviar from 1870 to thd beginning of the 20th century. The United States and Canada were not yet "over regulated" and the sturgeon were overfished, causing Europe to turn to the East for caviar. The Atlantic sturgeon ranged from New Brunswick, Canada to the east coast of Florida, but is now extinct in some of its range and threatened elsewhere. It is still sufficiently populous to be IUCN rated NT (Not Threatened). The essentially identical Gulf sturgeon ranges from eastern Louisiana to the west coast of Florida and is IUCN rated VU (Vulnerable). These sturgeons can grow to 15 feet and 800 pounds. They are not currently harvested for caviar.

Efforts are under way to restock the Baltic Sea region, currently devoid of sturgeon, with Atlantic sturgeon. It was recently found that the sturgeon that formerly lived there were Atlantics, not a European variety.   Drawing by U.S. Fish and Game Department = public domain.

Huso Sturgeon

These related Sturgeons are the largest in the world, and unlike most others are not bottom feeders but aggressive predators of other fish. The Kaluga, which lives in the Amir river which separates Russia from China, grows to nearly 19 feet and 2200 pounds. The Beluga, inhabiting the Caspian and Black Sea, can grow to 24 feet and 3400 pounds. Both these fish are IUCN listed as CR (Critically Endangered) due to intensive overfishing for their high value caviar. Trade in their caviar is controlled mainly by Russia's murderous organized crime syndicates. For these reasons, Beluga and wild Kaluga should not be purchased or consumed. Kaluga is now being farmed in China.   Photo of Kaluga Sturgeon by Javontaevious distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0.

Danube Sturgeon

This is the sturgeon from which Russian Osetra caviar is produced. It is native to the Black Sea, Sea of Azov and Caspian Sea, and enters all the rivers that drain into those seas. It has been severely overfished, and international trade is restricted by CITES. Its caviar is, however, available in North America because it is being farmed very successfuly in Israel. IUCN Red Listed CR (Critically Endangered).   Photo by Daniel Döhne distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike v3.0 Unported.

Starry Sturgeon

This is the sturgeon from which Russian Sevruga caviar is produced. It is native to the Caspian, Black, Azov and Aegean Seas, and has been introduced to the Aral Sea. It enters all the rivers that drain into those seas. This fish can grow to 7 feet and 176 pounds, but is commonly 4 feet long.It has been severely overfished, and international trade is restricted by CITES. Its caviar is, however, available in North America because it is being farmed in Bulgaria, and possably elsewhere. IUCN Red Listed CR (Critically Endangered).   Drawing by Zsoldos Márton distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike v3.0 Unported.

Siberian Sturgeon

This sturgeon is native to all the north draining rivers of Siberia. While it is seriously overfished in its natural habitat it has become of considerable interest as a farmed fish, because it tolerates the farm environment well. It is now used for caviar production in a number of countries. This fish can grow to about 79 inches and 463 pounds but is more commonly about 48 inches long, weighing 140 pounds. IUCN Red Listed EN (Endangered) and international trade is restricted by CITES.   Photo by Citron distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike v3.0 Unported Attribution Required.

Sterlet

This relatively small sturgeon is native to the large rivers that flow into the Black Sea, Asov Sea and Caspian Sea, and north flowing rivers in Siberia as far east as Mongolia. It is considered vulnerable because of overfishing for meat, caviar and isinglass throughout its range, but restocking efforts are ongoing and significant aquaculture has been established. It is very much liked for food in Russia and Hungary.   Photo by Karelj contributed to the Public Domain .

Sturgeon Caviar

Smoked Sturgeon

Isinglass