How Did Farmed Caviar Come About?
Sturgeon farming was first developed in the 1930s as a means of replenishing sturgeon populations in the Caspian Sea.
Iranian specialists had already mastered artificial fertilisation techniques, which they used to produce juvenile sturgeons before releasing them into the sea. The Soviets adopted these methods in the 1950s, particularly in response to the large-scale construction of hydroelectric dams on the rivers flowing into the Caspian Sea.
These structures prevented sturgeons from migrating upstream to their natural spawning grounds, seriously threatening the survival of the species.
Long before the introduction of CITES regulations, both Iranian and Soviet authorities were actively engaged in protecting sturgeon populations through large-scale restocking programmes, helping to preserve one of the world’s most remarkable fish species.
International Research Efforts
From the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s, research programmes were conducted across North America and Europe to help preserve local sturgeon species.
In France, this work was led in particular by researchers at CEMAGREF (National Centre for Agricultural Engineering, Rural Engineering, Water and Forestry), who launched a programme aimed at reintroducing the European sturgeon.
As part of this initiative, CEMAGREF imported the first Siberian sturgeons in 1975 to gain expertise in breeding and restocking techniques. These fish would later become the source of Baeri caviar, now one of the most widely appreciated caviar varieties in the world.
The Early Days of Farmed Caviar
By the late 1980s, a handful of pioneering producers embarked on the adventure of caviar farming in France, Italy and California.
The early years were challenging. Sturgeon farming is a long, costly and highly demanding undertaking. Producers had to recreate conditions as close as possible to the fish’s natural habitat, with exceptionally pure, well-oxygenated water, while also securing high-quality sturgeon broodstock.
Patience was essential: it takes at least seven years before the first roe can be harvested. Once collected, the roe must then be transformed into caviar according to a meticulous craft that requires both expertise and precision.
A Story Shared by Karin Nebot
Kaviari’s team played a key role alongside producers in improving the quality of farmed caviar.
“I will always remember a particularly striking moment,” recalls Karin Nebot. “In the early 1990s, my father, Jacques Nebot, welcomed some of the first producers who came to present their very first farmed caviar. After tasting it, he immediately spat out the pearls—the flavour was overwhelmingly earthy and muddy!”
This anecdote illustrates just how much progress still had to be made at the time.
Yet in less than thirty years, the transformation has been remarkable. Through relentless dedication, continuous collaboration and an unwavering commitment to quality, farmed caviar has reached an exceptional standard—one that today rivals wild caviar without hesitation.