Sturgeon farming for caviar has grown as wild populations collapsed, but welfare standards are poorly developed for these ancient fish with unique behavioral and environmental needs.
Farmed sturgeon welfare is rarely discussed despite these being some of the most ecologically significant fish on the planet. Their extreme longevity — animals potentially living decades in aquaculture systems — makes their welfare particularly important on a per-individual basis. Non-lethal caviar extraction methods represent a genuine welfare improvement over traditional killing methods, but farm conditions that involve high densities, poor water quality, and inadequate substrate provision still cause chronic welfare compromise. The premium market position of caviar should support investment in welfare improvements that conventional aquaculture cannot achieve.