Sturgeon farming for caviar raises specific welfare concerns from the long production cycle, harvest procedures, and conservation status of wild populations.
Sturgeon welfare in long production cycle farms requires sustained high-quality management over many years. Traditional harvest killing females for caviar extraction caused unnecessary welfare harm given non-lethal alternatives. Non-lethal caviar extraction using ultrasound to time optimal egg maturity and massage extraction preserves the female for subsequent harvests, providing both welfare and economic benefits. Space requirements for large sturgeon over their long production cycle must consider their active swimming behaviour. Water quality management must be maintained at high standards throughout the multi-year production cycle.