The Controlled Transformation of Caviar
Once the undisputed king of the seas, the sturgeon has been a protected species since 1998, threatened by decades of uncontrolled fishing and increasing pollution.
A Ban on Wild Fishing
As sturgeon populations collapsed, CITES (the Washington Convention) progressively reduced fishing quotas before ultimately banning the export of wild caviar altogether in 2008.
This marked a profound turning point—a quiet revolution in the world of caviar. The industry was forced to transition from wild fishing to aquaculture.
In 1998, global production still amounted to 300 tonnes of wild caviar, compared with only 500 kilograms of farmed caviar. Today, wild caviar has virtually disappeared, while farmed caviar production has reached nearly 700 tonnes per year.
A remarkable transformation achieved in little more than fifteen years.
A New Geography of Caviar
In the 1990s, the Caspian Sea supplied around 2,250 tonnes of caviar per year, including 250 tonnes from Iran and the remainder from the Soviet Union. Most of this production was consumed locally: of the 2,000 tonnes produced in the USSR, barely 80 tonnes were exported. To this day, Russia remains one of the world's largest consumers of caviar.
Today, aquaculture has replaced wild fishing. Sturgeon farms have emerged across the globe, and species that adapt well to farming are now raised in the freshwater environments of lakes and natural or man-made ponds.
The Art of Sturgeon Farming
Sturgeon farming requires rigour, expertise and patience. It takes between seven and fourteen years for a female sturgeon to reach sexual maturity. The extraction of the roe sac is a delicate operation that marks the end of the fish’s life.
The Conditions for Exceptional Quality
Water Quality
Water is fundamental to successful sturgeon farming. It is often sourced from mountain springs and is kept pure, recycled and maintained at a constant temperature of 15–18°C. Some producers favour covered ponds, while others prefer outdoor facilities. Experience suggests that shaded environments may encourage faster growth.
Nutrition
The sturgeons’ diet is carefully controlled and adapted to their needs. It is based on certified fish-based feed and may be supplemented with small frozen fish such as sardines and shrimp. Sturgeons must also have sufficient space to swim freely in large bodies of water.
The Life Cycle
Young sturgeons spend their early years growing in ponds and lakes. At around three to four years of age, ultrasound scanning allows farmers to distinguish males from females. The males are sold for their meat, while the females continue to mature until they begin producing roe.
The most promising roe, identified through biopsy, is selected for caviar production and processed in state-of-the-art laboratories that comply with the highest European health and safety standards.
Kaviari: A Committed House
A pioneer in the transition to farmed caviar, Kaviari has preserved the expertise inherited from the era of wild caviar. Working closely with our partner farmers, we mature caviar in our own workshops and oversee every stage of its development, from maturation and preparation to the meticulous management of the cold chain.
For more than fifty years, our House has been dedicated to enhancing this exceptional delicacy. Our ambition is simple: to offer the finest caviar in the world while respecting both the species and its environment.
What Should You Remember?
Today, consumers understand that caviar remains a luxury delicacy whose long and demanding production process justifies its value. Connoisseurs of golden, grey and black pearls also know that farmed caviars have nothing to envy their wild counterparts.
Thanks to optimal farming conditions—including minimal stress, a carefully controlled diet and a preserved environment—sturgeons are able to thrive. The caviars they produce continue to improve in quality, developing subtle aromas and beautifully complex flavour profiles.