Sturgeon are among the most ancient fish on Earth and are critically endangered in the wild. Their farming for caviar and meat raises distinct welfare considerations.
Farmed sturgeon welfare concerns centre on the stress of long-term intensive culture and the caviar extraction process. Sturgeon farmed for caviar spend many years in holding facilities before females mature sufficiently to produce eggs. High stocking densities cause chronic social stress and fin damage. Water quality management is critical — sturgeon are sensitive to low oxygen and high ammonia. Traditional caviar extraction kills the female fish, which after years of farming represents significant welfare cost. Strip spawning and ultrasound-guided "no-kill" extraction techniques allow eggs to be harvested while the fish survives, which dramatically improves welfare by allowing the animal to live rather than be killed after years of growth. The welfare premium of non-lethal caviar methods is increasingly recognised by premium producers.