Caviar production requires either killing sturgeon or milking roe non-lethally. Welfare in sturgeon aquaculture varies significantly between production systems.
Sturgeon welfare in aquaculture is complicated by the species' long life, complex sensory ecology, and the range of production methods in use. Non-lethal roe extraction is welfare-superior to killing females, but hormone-induced methods carry their own welfare costs. The ethical case for caviar consumption requires attention to the specific production methods used.