How sustainable caviar production from farmed sturgeon raises welfare considerations throughout the long production cycle.
Sturgeon welfare in caviar production spans decades - these are long-lived animals with welfare requirements that persist throughout an exceptionally long production cycle. Traditional caviar production that kills the female at extraction is being replaced by non-lethal techniques that represent a genuine welfare improvement while also improving farm economics through repeated production from valuable breeding females. The welfare challenge of maintaining appropriate conditions for fish over multi-decade production periods requires long-term commitment and management investment. Certified sustainable sturgeon caviar supports both welfare improvement and wild population recovery by providing an alternative to wild harvest.