Sturgeon farming for caviar is a growing industry driven by the collapse of wild populations. The welfare of farmed sturgeon is poorly studied, but these ancient fish have complex needs that intensive farming may not adequately address.
Sturgeon welfare in aquaculture sits at an unusual intersection: these are very long-lived fish with complex ecological needs, farmed in systems with minimal welfare standards, primarily for a luxury product. The extended duration of their captivity — many years before maturity — means that welfare compromises compound over time in ways that would not affect short-cycle species. The transition to "no-kill" caviar harvesting is a genuine welfare improvement for individual females, but does not address the broader welfare context of intensive tank farming. Behavioural needs of these bottom-dwelling, rheotactic (current-oriented) fish are poorly served by circular tanks. Research into sturgeon-specific welfare indicators, minimum space standards, and enrichment is at an early stage and urgently needed given the growth of the industry.