Sturgeon are ancient, long-lived fish farmed primarily for caviar. Their welfare is challenged by decades-long captivity before first spawning, surgical egg extraction, and intensive rearing systems inconsistent with their ecological needs.
Sturgeon welfare in aquaculture is shaped by the profound mismatch between their ecological needs and industrial tank systems. As benthic, slow-moving fish, sturgeon require calm, low-current environments with soft substrate — fast-flowing tank systems cause chronic stress and energy expenditure. Their electroreceptory systems are sensitive to electrical equipment in tank environments, potentially causing sensory discomfort from pump motors and filtration systems. Decades of captivity before reproductive maturity raises questions about chronic stress accumulation over time. Surgical egg extraction under anaesthesia, while an improvement over killing, involves repeated invasive procedures with recovery periods requiring careful post-operative welfare management. Slaughter welfare for killed sturgeon should involve stunning before any incision. Given the conservation crisis for wild sturgeon, aquaculture development is important — but welfare standards must evolve alongside production expansion.